J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2000 Apr;24(2):179-184.

The Optimal Condition for Activation of Motor Cortex by Peripheral Electrical Stimulation in Rat

• Jang SH
• Ahn SH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the optimal condition for activation of motor cortex by electrical stimulation of forelimb in rat. METHOD: Eleven adult rats (Sprague-Dawley rat) were studied, each of which was anesthetized and craniotomized. While the electrical stinulation was given on the contralateral forelimb of the fixed rat at stereotaxic frame, the evoked potential (EP) was obtained at the motor cortex of rat brain. The conditions of electrical stimulation were changed with 5 kinds of frequencies (1, 3, 5, 10, 15 Hz), 4 kinds of stimulus intensities (1, 3, 5, 7 mA) and 3 kinds of pulse widths (100, 200, 300 microsecond).
RESULTS
The peak latencies of EPs in the motor cortex were significantly decreased and the amplitudes were significantly increased along with the decrement of stimulus frequency and the increment of stimulus intensity. The peak latencies and amplitudes of EPs were not significantly changed by stimulus pulse widths.
CONCLUSION
The motor cortex of rat was more activated with lower frequency and higher intensity regardless of pulse width in the given condition of electrical stimulation in this study.

Keyword

Electrical stimulation; Motor cortex; Evoked potential

MeSH Terms

Adult
Animals
Brain
Electric Stimulation*
Evoked Potentials
Forelimb
Humans
Motor Cortex*
Rats*