MAGNETIC NERVE-STIMULATION

Magnetic nerve stimulation is a noninvasive, noncontact means of exciting nerves. Magnetic stimulators generate eddy currents in tissue by producing a high-amplitude, short-duration magnetic pulse from a small coil located near the tissue. A simple circuit can generate the large coil currents necessary for magnetic nerve stimulation. Careful selection of circuit components is necessary to control the influence of parasitic elements on the stimulus. The spatial distribution of the induced electric field is computed for a simple model system excited by a circular coil. Surface charges are induced at tissue boundaries and significantly affect the total induced field.