Electrical Neural Stimulation: Fundamentals & Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of electrical neural stimulation, including types of stimulation methods, waveforms, and electrical circuits. It explores the physiological origin of neural stimulation, the electrode-tissue interface, and the electrochemistry of stimulation. The lecture delves into the concepts of charge balancing, electrode damage, tissue damage, and safe electrical levels for therapeutic stimulation. It also discusses the stimulation of excitable tissues such as brain, nerves, muscles, and the heart, highlighting the importance of balanced biphasic waveforms. Various stimulation waveforms and their implementations are compared, emphasizing the significance of charge-balanced biphasic stimulation for efficacy and safety.