Abstract
Electrical stimulation through multi-electrode arrays is used to evoke activity in dissociated cultures of cortical neurons. We study the efficacies of a variety of pulse shapes under voltage control as well as current control, and determine useful parameter ranges that optimize efficacy while preventing damage through electrochemistry. For any pulse shape, stimulation is found to be mediated by negative currents. We find that positive-then-negative biphasic voltage-controlled pulses are more effective than any of the other pulse shapes tested, when compared at the same peak voltage. These results suggest that voltage-control, with its inherent control over limiting electrochemistry, may be advantageous in a wide variety of stimulation scenarios, possibly extending to in-vivo experiments.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / pharmacology
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6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / pharmacology
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Action Potentials / drug effects
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Action Potentials / radiation effects
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Animals
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Cells, Cultured
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Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
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Electric Conductivity
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Electric Stimulation / methods*
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Electricity*
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Electrodes*
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Embryo, Mammalian
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
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Membrane Potentials / radiation effects
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Neocortex / cytology*
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Neurons / drug effects
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Neurons / physiology
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Neurons / radiation effects*
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Rats
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Reaction Time / drug effects
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Reaction Time / radiation effects
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Reproducibility of Results
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Tetrodotoxin / pharmacology
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Time Factors
Substances
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
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Tetrodotoxin
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6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
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2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate