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Custom-Built Electrodes Perform Comparably to a Discontinued Commercial Electrode for Neuromuscular Electrical
Bana H Odeh1, Amanda L Wellman1, Michael Ameye1
1Physical Therapy Program. Department of Health Care Sciences. Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Wayne State University. Detroit, MI, USA.
Objective:
A commercial electrode used for transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in mice is no longer available. In response, we developed two low-cost, customizable alternatives-a 3D-Printed Electrode and a Pen Electrode assembled from off-the-shelf jumper wire components-and evaluated their performance relative to the discontinued commercial standard.
Methods:
We conducted in vivo NMES of the left hindlimb ankle dorsiflexors in C57BL/6J mice using three electrode types: a Simple Electrode (previously available as BS4 50-6824, Harvard Apparatus), our novel 3D-Printed Electrode, and our novel Pen Electrode. Contractile torque was recorded during twitch and tetanic contractions, and electrode performance was evaluated based on peak torque values. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare torque generated by each animal for the three different types of electrodes.
Results:
Both custom electrodes generated twitch and tetanic responses comparable to those of the Commercial electrode. No statistically significant differences were observed in peak torque values in either twitch (p = 0.181) or tetany (p = 0.438).
Conclusion:
Custom-built 3D-printed and Pen-style electrodes offer low-cost, accessible alternatives to discontinued commercial devices for murine NMES studies. These tools can facilitate continued use of electrical stimulation protocols in preclinical neuromuscular research.
