Effects of Applied Electric Fields on Abnormal Electric Neuronal Activity

电刺激已被有效地用于刺激神经、肌肉和脑神经细胞。一个更困难的问题是使用电刺激来抑制神经元的放电。当异常的神经元放电干扰正常的生理功能时，如在痉挛和癫痫中，阻断神经元放电的方法是非常重要的。电场被用来阻断轴突的神经元放电。此外，施加于大脑几个部位的电场已被证明可以改变神经元的兴奋性。本研究计划建议研究这些电场技术，以控制神经组织中的异常神经元放电。初步实验表明，当用电极施加低强度、长电流脉冲时，神经元的放电可以被阻断。神经记录技术以及计算机建模方法将被用来理解机制。该项目将使用体外脑切片制备，因为可以直接在组织中定位电极，以确保电场的正确方向。这个项目的短期影响是提供对电场在控制异常神经元活动中的作用的理解。本项目的长期影响是为控制和阻断异常癫痫活动方法的设计提供背景知识

Electrical stimulation has been used effectively to excite nerves, muscles and brain nerve cells. A more difficult problem is to inhibit the firing of neurons using electrical stimulation. A method for blocking neuronal firing would be extremely important any time abnormal neuronal firing interferes with the normal physiological functions such as in spasticity and in epilepsy. Electrical fields have been used to block neuronal firing in axons. Moreover, electrical fields applied in several parts of the brain have been shown to modify the excitability of neurons. This research project proposes that these electrical field techniques be studied for the purpose of controlling abnormal neuronal firing in neural tissue. Preliminary experiments have shown that neuronal firing can be blocked when low-intensity, long current pulses are applied with electrodes. Neural recording techniques as well as computer modeling methods will be used to understand the mechanisms. The in vitro brain slice preparation will be used for this project, since it is possible to directly position the electrodes in the tissue to ensure a proper orientation of the electrical field. The short-term impact of this project is to provide an understanding of the role of electrical fields in controlling abnormal neuronal activity. The long-term impact of this project is to generate the background knowledge for the design of the method for controlling and blocking abnormal epileptic activity.***//