title: A novel approach to simulate Hodgkin-Huxley-like excitation with COMSOL Multiphysics.
abstract: A proof of concept for the evaluation of external nerve and muscle fiber excitation with the finite element software COMSOL Multiphysics, formerly known as FEMLAB, is presented. This software allows the simultaneous solution of fiber excitation by 1D models of the Hodgkin-Huxley type which are embedded in a volume conductor where the electric field is mainly dominated by the electrode currents. This way the presented bidomain model includes the interaction between electrode currents and transmembrane currents during the excitation process. Especially for direct muscle fiber stimulation (cardiac muscle, denervated muscle) the effects from secondary currents from large populations of excited fibers seem to be significant. The method has many applications, for example, the relation between stimulus parameters and fiber recruitment can be analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Analysis and Scientific Computing, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria. johannes.martinek@technikumwien.at
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinek
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stickler
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichel
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rattay
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D012984:Software