extracellular stimulation without a "ground"
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:31 pm
My problem might be more of a conceptual one.
Scenario: Neurons are getting stimulated via an electric field in the head. This electric field was created by a time-varying magnetic field - so there is no inherent ground per se. I am using the "extracellular" mechanism to run some quick experiments on a single section, 3 segment neuron model. This neuron is, in essence, seeing 3 different potentials (for simplicity sake, lets say they are quick step inputs ~1ms long). The neuron isn't responding the way I expected. I read the programmer's reference about the "extracellular" mechanism (particularly the part about it doing damage to my intuition). Needless to say, I feel like I am on shaky ground (no pun intended):
In this case, because I am not using a micro-electrode, there is essentially no "xc", "xg", or "xraxial". Does this mean that I can model the voltages as "vext"?
Thanks,
Brian
Scenario: Neurons are getting stimulated via an electric field in the head. This electric field was created by a time-varying magnetic field - so there is no inherent ground per se. I am using the "extracellular" mechanism to run some quick experiments on a single section, 3 segment neuron model. This neuron is, in essence, seeing 3 different potentials (for simplicity sake, lets say they are quick step inputs ~1ms long). The neuron isn't responding the way I expected. I read the programmer's reference about the "extracellular" mechanism (particularly the part about it doing damage to my intuition). Needless to say, I feel like I am on shaky ground (no pun intended):
In this case, because I am not using a micro-electrode, there is essentially no "xc", "xg", or "xraxial". Does this mean that I can model the voltages as "vext"?
Thanks,
Brian