title: An inexpensive, charge-balanced rodent deep brain stimulation device: a step-by-step guide to its procurement and construction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite there being a relatively large number of methods papers which detail specifically the development of stimulation devices, only a small number of reports involve the application of these devices in freely moving animals. To date multiple preclinical neural stimulators have been designed and described but have failed to make an impact on the methods employed by the majority of laboratories studying DBS. Thus, the overwhelming majority of DBS studies are still performed by tethering the subject to an external stimulator. We believe that the low adoption rate of previously described methods is a result of the complexity of replicating and implementing these methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here were describe both the design and procurement of a simple and inexpensive stimulator designed to be compatible with commonly used, commercially available electrodes (Plastics 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  This system is initially programmable in frequency, pulsewidth and current amplitude, and delivers biphasic, charge-balanced output to two independent electrodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is easy to implement requiring neither subcutaneous implantation nor custom-made electrodes and has been optimized for either direct mounting to the head or for use with rodent jackets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This device is inexpensive and universally accessible, facilitating high throughput, low cost, long-term rodent deep brain stimulation experiments.
authors: Bereich Experimentelle Psychiatrie, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany; Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, A210 Langley Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. Electronic address: sam.ewing@gmail.com.
authors: Samuel G
authors: SG
authors: Ewing
authors: Witold J
authors: WJ
authors: Lipski
authors: Anthony A
authors: AA
authors: Grace
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Winter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051379:Mice
keywords: Bilateral; Charge-balanced; Chronic; Deep brain stimulation; Programmable; Rodent
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