Electrode Spacing and Current Distribution in Electrical Stimulation of Peripheral Nerve: A Computational Modeling Study using Realistic Nerve Models

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves has long been used and proven effective in restoring function caused by disease or injury. Accurate placement of electrodes is often critical to properly excite the nerve and yield the desired outcome. Computational modeling is becoming an important tool that can guide the rapid development and optimization of such implantable neural stimulation devices. Here, we developed a heterogeneous very high-resolution computational model of a realistic peripheral nerve stimulated by a current source through cuff electrodes. We then calculated the current distribution inside the nerve and investigated the effect of electrodes spacing on current penetration. In the present study, we first describe model implementation and calibration; we then detail the methodology we use to calculate current distribution and apply it to characterize the effect of electrodes distance on current penetration. Our computational results indicate that when the source and return cuff electrodes are placed close to each other, the penetration depth in the nerve is shallower than the cases in which the electrode distance is larger. This study outlines the utility of the proposed computational methods and anatomically correct high-resolution models in guiding and optimizing experimental nerve stimulation protocols.