Computational model of vagus nerve stimulation in mice with bipolar cuff electrode

Study Purpose: To implement, simulate, and analyze a computational model of mouse VNS with the MicroLeads bipolar cuff electrode to complement in vivo experiments which recorded laryngeal EMG and heart rate during stimulation.

Data Collection: We used ASCENT v1.1.4 to build a 3D model of a mouse vagus nerves instrumented with the MicroLeads bipolar cuff electrode. We simulated thresholds for 2-5 um “B” and 7-11 um “A alpha” fibers, which we compared to heart rate and laryngeal EMG in vivo responses, respectively.

Primary Conclusion: The model accurately predicted thresholds for A fiber onset/saturation and B fiber onset, and underestimated B fiber saturation. Recruitment order of the fibers was driven by longitudinal fiber alignment for A fibers and fiber diameter for B fibers.

Curator's Notes

Experimental Design: A computation model of vagus nerve stimulation in mice with a bipolar cuff electrode.

Completeness: This dataset is part of a larger study: "Measuring and modeling the effects of vagus nerve stimulation on heart rate and laryngeal muscles"

Subjects & Samples: Only virtual subjects were used in this study.

Primary vs derivative data: Not applicable. This is a computational study. The files in primary/sub-*/sam-*-sub-*/samples/*/ are ASCENT input configuration files (i.e., sample.json, models/*/model.json) and outputs (i.e., individual fiber activation thresholds models/*/sims/*/n_sims/*/data/outputs/thresh_inner*_fiber*.dat). Additionally, the files in primary/sub-*/sam-*-sub-*/samples/*/ contain key intermediate files created by ASCENT, including the extracellular potentials applied to the fiber models (models/*/sims/*/n_sims/*/data/inputs/inner*_fiber*.dat) and the stimulation waveform (models/*/sims/*/n_sims/*/data/inputs/waveform.dat).

Code Availability: Run the plotting scripts in the dataset using ASCENT v1.1.4 (repository; documentation): see README.txt for details.