Force-current relationships in intraneural stimulation : role of extraneural medium and motor fibre clustering

• Published in: Medical & biological engineering & computing Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 422 - 430
• Main Authors: FRIESWIJK, T. A, SMIT, J. P. A, RUTTEN, W. L. C, BOOM, H. B. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.07.1998; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Bioelectric phenomena; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical engineering; Electric Stimulation; Functional electric stimulation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mathematical models; Models, Neurological; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Nerve Fibers - physiology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recruitment, Neurophysiological - physiology; Statistical methods; Studies; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Fascicular block; Animal model; Force measurement; Statistical analysis; Electrical stimulus; Rodentia; Nervous system; Motor neuron; Experimental study; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Current measurement; Simulation; Mouse
• ISSN: 0140-0118; 1741-0444
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02523209

Animal experiments and model simulations of monopolar, intrafascicular nerve stimulation are presented to study force-current relationships (recruitment curves). The conductivity of the extraneural medium is of prime importance to the resulting recruitment cures: an insulating extraneural medium generally leads to steeper curves with lower threshold currents than a well-conducting extraneural medium. Extensive statistical comparison of experimental and model results suggests the occurrence of clustering of alpha-motoneurons within the fascicle, manifesting itself mainly by an increased spread in threshold currents, as opposed to the situation where the fibres are distributed uniformly throughout the entire fascicle.