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Updated: May 14, 2026

Using Neuron Spiking Activity to Trigger Closed-Loop Stimuli in Neurophysiological Experiments
Published on: November 12, 2019
Minimisation of required charge for desired neuronal spike rate
Craig O Savage1, Tatiana Kameneva, David B Grayden
1NeuroEngineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia. cosavage@unimelb.edu.au
Abstract:
Retinal implants restore limited visual perception to blind implantees by electrical stimulation of surviving neurons. We consider the efficacy of two electrical stimulation parameters, frequency of stimulation and interphase gap between cathodic and anodic phases, on the required charge to reach a desired neuronal spike rate. Using a Hodgkin-Huxley model of a neuron, we find the most efficient means of achieving a desired spike rate for neurons by electrical stimulation is to use a stimulation frequency identical to the desired spike rate, as well as a long interphase gap.
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