Electrical stimulation of the motor cortex: theoretical considerations.

The aim of this paper is to present the results of a theoretical analysis of the intracranial fields produced by electrical stimulation of the unexposed motor cortex with surface electrodes in humans. Simulations of a first approximation model of the head indicate that the intensity and the spatial configuration of the intracranial fields can be controlled, to a great extent, by proper choice of the location and of the number of the stimulating electrodes. Fields are shown to be reasonably insensitive to changes of some crucial parameters, like the number of the stimulating electrodes and the ratio between the conductivity of the skull and that of the other tissues.