Tissue heterogeneity as a mechanism for localized neural stimulation by applied electric fields
Abstract
We investigate the heterogeneity of electrical conductivity as a new mechanism to stimulate excitable tissues via applied electric fields. In particular, we show that stimulation of axons crossing internal boundaries can occur at boundaries where the electric conductivity of the volume conductor changes abruptly. The effectiveness of this and other stimulation mechanisms was compared by means of models and computer simulations in the context of transcranial magnetic stimulation. While, for a given stimulation intensity, the largest membrane depolarization occurred where an axon terminates or bends sharply in a high electric field region, a slightly smaller membrane depolarization, still sufficient to generate action potentials, also occurred at an internal boundary where the conductivity jumped from 0.143 S m(-1) to 0.333 S m(-1), simulating a white-matter-grey-matter interface. Tissue heterogeneity can also give rise to local electric field gradients that are considerably stronger and more focal than those impressed by the stimulation coil and that can affect the membrane potential, albeit to a lesser extent than the two mechanisms mentioned above. Tissue heterogeneity may play an important role in electric and magnetic 'far-field' stimulation.
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For purely resistive tissues, the secondary field depends only on the ratio of the conductivities of the two adjacent tissues, and is proportional to the strength of the normal component of the applied electric field.
“For purely resistive tissues, the secondary field depends only on the ratio of the conductivities of the two adjacent tissues, and is proportional to the strength of the normal component of the applied electric field (Miranda et al., 2007).”
From Predicting the electric field distribution in the brain for the treatment of glioblastoma (2014) · cites this paper as Miranda et al., 2007
The existence of electric field hotspots is due to a secondary electric field generated by charge accumulation at tissue interfaces.
“The existence of electric field hotspots is due to a secondary electric field generated by charge accumulation at tissue interfaces.”
From Predicting the electric field distribution in the brain for the treatment of glioblastoma (2014) · cites this paper as Miranda et al., 2007
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Miranda, P. C., Correia, L., Salvador, R., & Basser, P. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- Venue
- Physics in Medicine and Biology
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2007-09-03
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 5603-5617
- ISSN
- 0031-9155 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6560
- OpenAlex
- W2156898443
- Cited by
- 83
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 2.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physics in Medicine and Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Keywords
- tissue heterogeneity, electrical conductivity, electrical field stimulation, membrane depolarization, action potential, volume conductor, internal borders, electric field gradient, transcranial magnetic stimulation, excitable tissues
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Computer Simulation, Electric Stimulation, Electromagnetic Fields, Humans, Models, Neurological, Nerve Net, Neurons
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