External Stimulation of Excitable Tissue

Abstract

Nerves are usually stimulated by the passage of current through the tissue in which they are embedded. The parameters that determine the excitation of a nerve in such a situation include the electrode geometry, the nerve location and the tissue properties. Magnetic stimulation of nerves is an extension of the concept of electrical stimulation. In this chapter both electrical stimulation and magnetic stimulation of tissue are developed. The test of excitability is the propagating action potential model developed in the previous chapter. This model allows us to simulate and visualize the stimulation of nerves in realistic situations. It also provides a platform for understanding the stimulation of compound nerves and the concept of recruitment under artificial stimulation.