Dose-response study of the pathological effects of chronically applied direct current stimulation on the normal rat spinal cord

摘要: ✓ Electrical stimulation of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) can result in extensive destruction tissue unless applied within specific parameters. Classically, unbalanced or monopolar currents have been avoided order to minimize these harmful effects. However, direct current (DC) fields recently proposed for treatment spinal cord injury. Until now, no rigorous analysis has made safety CNS. The purpose this study was determine amount chronically DC that be tolerated by normal rodent stimulated with metal disc electrodes. Thirty-five rats underwent implantation stimulating devices and were allowed recover a period 2 12 weeks. stimulators delivered constant 0 50 µA through two disc-shaped platinum/iridium electrodes positioned extradurally at C-7 T-3 levels. Following sacrifice animals, serial 8-µm cross sections...