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Updated: Jan 31, 2026
Programmed Electrical Stimulation in Mice
Published on: May 26, 2010
The effect of mechanical or electrical stimulation on apnea length in mice
Samer Bou Jawde1, Alexandra Scheuermann1,2, Erzsébet Bartolák-Suki1
11Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA USA.
Insights
Mechanical vibrations effectively regulate breathing patterns in mice, offering a potential new treatment for infant apnea. This non-invasive method shows promise as an alternative to caffeine for premature infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Respiratory control
- Bioengineering
Background:
- Premature birth is a major cause of infant mortality, often linked to irregular breathing and apnea.
- Caffeine is a common treatment for apnea of prematurity, but its long-term developmental effects are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that non-invasive localized body stimulation can regularize breathing patterns.
- To compare the effects of electrical and mechanical stimulation on breathing in a mouse model of apnea.
Main Methods:
- Apnea was induced in mice by ventilation.
- Mice received randomized mechanical, electrical, or no stimulation targeting the diaphragm area.
- Time to the first breath after apnea cessation was recorded.
Main Results:
- Electrical stimulation at tested parameters did not reduce the time to the first breath and higher frequencies were detrimental.
- High and medium intensity mechanical vibrations significantly reduced the time to the first breath.
- Mechanical vibrations applied to the ankles also decreased the time to the first breath at high intensity.
Conclusions:
- Non-invasive mechanical vibrations, particularly at higher intensities and applied to the diaphragm area, effectively regularize breathing patterns.
- This method presents a promising alternative to caffeine for managing irregular breathing and apnea in infants.
Abstract:
Premature birth is a leading cause of infant mortality which is often attributed to irregular breathing and apnea of prematurity. A common treatment for apnea is caffeine to stimulate the brain's respiratory center. However, caffeine's long term effect on infant development is not fully comprehended. We hypothesized that noninvasive localized body stimulation regularizes breathing pattern. We investigated the impact of electrical or mechanical stimulation on breathing in mice. After the mice were ventilated for 28 s to induce apnea, mice were taken off the ventilator while receiving mechanical, electrical, or no stimulation in a randomized order. Both stimuli targeted the diaphragm area through a custom-built belt with vibrating motors or adhesive electrodes. After each apnea cycle, the time to take the first breath (T) was recorded. The electrical stimulation given at 4.5, 8.3, 16.7 V (pulse rate = 3 Hz, pulse width = 120 μs) showed no reduction in T. Electrical stimulation at pulse rates of 10 or 20 Hz (16.7 V, pulse width 260 μs) showed a detrimental effect increasing T by ~ 7% compared to control values (p = 0.005, p = 0.038 respectively). High and medium intensity mechanical stimulations significantly reduced T by 11.74 (p < 10-13) and by 17.08% (p < 10-8), respectively. Further reducing the amplitude of vibrations did not affect T. When the probe was attached to the ankles, only the high intensity vibrations resulted in a decrease in T (p < 10-13). Mechanical vibrations, applied at various intensities and locations, could be used to treat irregular breathing and apnea in infants.
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