Optimal pulse configuration for peripheral inductive nerve stimulation
J Rapp1, P Braun1, W Hemmert1,2
1Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering (MIBE), Technische Universität München, Garching 85748, Germany.
Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express
|February 8, 2022
Summary
Rectangular pulses significantly reduce energy needs for peripheral magnetic stimulation. This technology can lower required coil current by four times, making nerve stimulation more efficient and accessible.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Computational Electromagnetics
Background:
- Peripheral magnetic stimulation (PMS) shows potential for neurological applications but faces limitations with current high-power, expensive transcranial devices.
- Understanding the impact of electromagnetic field temporal shapes on neuronal structures is crucial for optimizing PMS technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of induced magnetic fields on peripheral nerves using a simulation environment.
- To identify pulse shapes with the lowest energy requirements for effective nerve stimulation.
- To explore selective stimulation of different axon diameters.
Main Methods:
- Developed a simulation environment combining a figure-of-8 coil's electric field distribution with an axon model in saline.
- Calculated axonal potential and determined threshold currents for action potential elicitation.
- Analyzed various pulse shapes (rectangular, sinusoidal, asymmetric rectangular) and durations.
Main Results:
- Rectangular pulses demonstrated the lowest thresholds at a 20 μs duration.
- Optimal pulse duration for sinusoidal coil currents was found to be 40 μs.
- Asymmetric rectangular pulses reduced coil current from 2.3 kA to 600 A, a significant energy reduction.
Conclusions:
- Rectangular pulse shapes offer a substantial improvement for magnetic nerve stimulation, potentially reducing coil current by a factor of four.
- Optimized pulse shapes and durations can lead to more energy-efficient and effective PMS devices.
- This research paves the way for more accessible and lower-cost magnetic stimulation technologies.
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