Researches On Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation With Head Modeling

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation is a noninvasive physical therapy which current is applied to the head, the current through the scalp、skull、cerebrospinal fluid and then affect the nerves substance releasing inside the brain. Now CES is widely used in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, depression, neuropathic pain and other neurological or psychiatric diseases. However, the safety of different stimulation parameters and the reliability in the study of CES becomes a problem that must be researched. This thesis aims to provide a theoretical basis for clinical application at CES, by combining with medical image reconstruction of head model to compute the electric field and analyze the influence of different parameters.In this thesis, CT imaging data is used to build a numerical model of the real head for three-dimensional electromagnetic field calculation. First, the CT image data is imported to medical image reconstruction software MIMICS(trial version) to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the human head. Second, Geomagic Studio(trial version)reverse engineering software is used for cutting, removing and smoothing processing to get a smooth three-dimensional head model. At last, the three-dimensional head model file is put into COMSOL(trial version) finite element software for meshing and setting of physical parameters.The electric filed is carried out by FEM with the numerical real head model. By putting the driving electrodes at different five locations on the scalp, which are the earlobe,prefrontal, temple, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, the efficiency is analyzed by comparing the electric field among different shapes of the electrode stimulation. It concludes that,conventional lobe placement position is also changed its role to achieve a better stimulation of the stimulation effect, increasing the number of stimulation electrodes may be effective in reducing the current damage to the skin, but the focus of electric filed is becoming blurred. Therefore, it should be based on the actual need to change the number of stimulating electrodes in practical application. In addition, the size of the stimulation electrode has great impact on penetration of current. The smaller the electrodes are, the better current penetration has, but the larger damage occurred to skin. So that the selection of appropriately stimulation electrode type is also a very important factor which should bepay attention to.