Analysis of monophasic and biphasic electrical stimulation of  nerve.
In an earlier study, biphasic and monphasic electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve was performed in cats with a cochlear implant. Single-unit recordings demonstrated that spikes resulting from monophasic and biphasic stimuli have different thresholds and latencies. Monophasic thresholds are lower and latencies are shorter under cathodic stimulation. Results from stochastic simulations of a biophysical model of electrical stimulation are similar. A simple analysis of a linear, "integrate to threshold" membrane model accounts for the threshold and latency differences observed experimentally and computationally. Since biphasic stimuli are used extensively in functional electrical stimulation, this analysis greatly simplifies the biophysical interpretation of responses to clinically relevant stimuli by relating them to the responses obtained with monophasic stimuli.
Rubinstein
J T
JT
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA. jay-rubinstein@uiowa.edu
Miller
C A
CA
Mino
H
H
Abbas
P J
PJ
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology*