EFMouse: a toolbox to model stimulation-induced electric fields in the mouse brain.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Research on transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) mechanisms in humans is extensive, but in-vivo animal model studies are less common.
• Understanding in-vivo tES effects in animal models is crucial for advancing non-invasive brain stimulation therapies.
• Differences in brain scale and geometry between humans and animal models complicate study design and interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce EFMouse, a computational toolbox for modeling intracranial electric fields in mice during tES.
• To optimize predictions for in-vivo intracranial recordings in mouse models.
• To compare electric field distributions between high-density and traditional two-electrode tES montages in mice.

Main Methods:

• Development of the EFMouse toolbox, extending existing approaches for electric field modeling.
• Simulation of intracranial electric fields using EFMouse for different tES electrode montages.
• Comparison of simulated electric field characteristics, including focality, homogeneity, and orientation relative to the cortical surface.

Main Results:

• Both high-density and two-electrode tES montages can generate strong, focal, and homogeneous electric fields in targeted brain areas.
• The high-density montage produces an electric field more perpendicular to the visual cortical surface compared to the two-electrode montage.
• A more perpendicular electric field is predicted to induce greater changes in neuronal excitability.

Conclusions:

• The EFMouse toolbox provides a valuable resource for predicting intracranial electric fields in mouse models of tES.
• High-density tES montages may offer advantages for neuromodulation by generating more effective electric fields.
• EFMouse facilitates the design and interpretation of in-vivo tES experiments, aiding the development of therapeutic applications.