# Integrated Biophysical and Neural Model of Electrical Stimulation Effects

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $847,068

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Electrical stimulation is widely used to activate and/or disrupt neuronal activity. Despite its critical
importance in experimental and clinical neuroscience, at present, there is no validated method to predict
which neural elements of the brain will be activated by a given stimulation regime. Based on our pilot
studies, we propose here to develop a novel computational approach for predicting the specific neurons
which will be activated by a given stimulation protocol, based on neuron shape, location, type and
connectivity. We will use biophysical modeling to calculate the spatial distribution of activating currents,
and then convolve this distribution with the spatial distribution and orientation of the axons and dendrites
of the major pyramidal and interneuron cell types to determine their probability of firing. We will then
propagate this activity through the cortical circuitry. We will model different species (rats, mice, humans)
and cortical areas (primary sensory and associative). We will examine the effects of sleep stage and
background activity, including characteristic sleep rhythms, on the evoked thalamocortical network
activity. The predictions of the model will be validated with extensive empirical measurements, primarily
calcium imaging in mice using advanced microscopy methods that allow the entire relevant cortical
volume to be characterized at high resolution. Cell type specific labeling and anatomical reconstructions
will permit identification of different neuronal populations and measurement of their activation probability.
This will be supplemented by voltage-sensitive dye imaging and laminar electrophysiological recordings to
provide temporal resolution. The laminar recordings will be repeated in humans, in both acute
intraoperative and semi-chronic settings. The models will be modified in light of the validation studies. The
integrated biophysical and neural model with documentation and tutorials will be made available on the
web.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999696
- **Project number:** 5R01NS109553-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** MAKSIM V BAZHENOV
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $847,068
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999696

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999696, Integrated Biophysical and Neural Model of Electrical Stimulation Effects (5R01NS109553-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999696. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*