An electrode comprising a biocompatible chemically oxygen terminated or H-terminated carbon-based material, the surface of which is substantially free of any peptide coating and promotes the growth or at least the direct interfacing of adult neurons on said material without substantially promoting the growth and direct interfacing of glial cells on said material, said carbon-based material having an electrical conductivity of at least about 0.01S/cm, in particular 1S/cm, said material being in particular selected from the group consisting of nanocrystalline diamond which is doped by either boron, phosphorus or nitrogen, to become a semiconductor, or graphene, nanotubes, or nanotubes on diamond. Further disclosed is a use of said electrode as well as a process of preparation of said electrode.
