Authors: Mouhamed Alsaqati, Josephine E. Haddon, Jeremy Hall, Adrian J. Harwood, and Lawrence S. Wilkinson
Neuropharmacology, 27 March 2026
Maestro MEA reveals how extracellular zinc modulates neuronal synchrony and network dynamics.
Zinc is an essential neuromodulator in the brain, but fluctuations in extracellular zinc levels have been linked to altered synaptic signaling and neurological dysfunction. In this study, researchers investigated how changes in extracellular zinc influence neuronal network activity, and how these effects interact with key signaling pathways including NMDA receptors and L-type calcium channels.
Using Axion BioSystems’ Maestro MEA platform to record neuronal activity, the team found that while zinc exposure did not significantly alter intrinsic firing, it modulated network-level behavior, including synchrony and burst dynamics. Further experiments showed that inhibition of NMDA receptors reduced network bursting, but when combined with zinc, led to increased synchrony, highlighting a complex interplay between zinc signaling and excitatory pathways.
These findings provide new insight into how extracellular zinc shapes neural network behavior and underscore its role as a modulator of circuit-level activity, with potential implications for neurological disorders involving synaptic dysregulation.
