We have for the first time recorded action potentials in rat hippocampus neurons when they were stimulated by subnanosecond electric pulses. The preliminary results show that applying a series of pulses allowed the accumulation of depolarization before activating the voltage gated channels. The depolarization only occurred when the electric pulses were applied. It is unclear whether the depolarization is caused by the charge accumulation across the membrane or the cation influx due to the membrane permeabilization. We have also conducted an electromagnetic simulation of delivering subnanosecond pulses to tissues using an impulse radiating antenna. The results show that the pulses can be confined in the deep region in the brain but the amplitude is reduced significantly due to the attenuation of the tissues. A partially lossy dielectric lens may be used to reverse the decreasing trend of the electric field.

Date Published: 23 February 2013
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 8585, Terahertz and Ultrashort Electromagnetic Pulses for Biomedical Applications, 85850M (23 February 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2003341

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8585:
Terahertz and Ultrashort Electromagnetic Pulses for Biomedical Applications
Gerald J. Wilmink; Bennett L. Ibey, Editor(s)