Neural Activation Compared to Electric Field Extension of Three DBS Lead Designs

• SINCE the introduction of deep brain stimulation (DBS) about 20 years ago, the stimulation technique has been dominated by Medtronic DBS-system setup. In recent years, new DBS systems have become available, of which some are in clinical trials or available to patients [1]. In the present study three different lead designs are investigated via computer simulation:Medtronic 3389, St. Jude 6148 and Sapiens SureStim. The aim was to compare the neural activation distance and the electric field (EF) maximum spatial extension for each lead.A 3D finite element method model was built using COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4a (COMSOL AB, Stockholm, Sweden) to simulate the electric potential around the DBS lead. Brain tissue was modelled as a homogeneous volume of grey matter (electric conductivity of 0.09 S/m). The electrode-tissue interface was modelled with a 250μm thick peri-electrode space mimicking the fibrous tissue which covers the lead at the chronic stimulation stage (σ = 0.06S/m, equivalent to white matter electric conductivity). The stimulation amplitude was set to 1V in monopolar configuration using C1 electrode or equivalent in all cases. Each simulated electric potential distribution was exported to MatLab (The MathWorks, USA) and used as input to a cable neuron simulation.An axon cable model with 21 nodes based on the concept by Åström et al., [2] was set up in MatLab and combined with the exported field distributions. The model considered a 5 μm thick neuron, a pulse width of 60 μs and a drive potential ranging from 0.5 V to 5 V in 0.5 V steps.The SureStim lead results showed a shorter neural activation distance and EF extension. The distance to the isolevel of 0.2 V/mm is close to the neural activation distance at each stimulation amplitude, and we conclude that the electric field is a suitable predictor to visualize the stimulated regions.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Medicinteknik -- Annan medicinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Medical Engineering -- Other Medical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

DBS leads

neural activation

steering leads

finite element model

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