Braid Research 8tdh't/tt. VOL 4. pp1421~22, Printed in the O l ~ l A , A Bipolar Electrode for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation' F, C, BARONE, M. J. WAYNER ~ Brain Reseatx'h Laboratory, S),racttse Unil'er$ily, 601 UlliPt'~;~'iO, A vent~e SyjltlCIlS( ' N Y 132 IO H. U. AGUILAR-BATURONF ~ AND R. GUEVARA-AGUILAR :~ Departamento de Fisiologia, Facldtad tie Medicina, Ulliversidctd Nttr AlllOtlotltet de M~IXhl[I Mexi~:o 20, D,F. (Received 5 June 1978) BARONE. F. C., M. J. WAYNER, H. U. AGUILAR-BATURO~N 1 AND R: GUEVARA-AGUILAR. A hip,Jet, el,'ctH~d~" fijllpplllphl'lltlh~frl't" slim~dation BRAIN RES BULl_. 4(3)421-422. 1979.--The constlllcdon of a bipolar electrode for the stlmulaIion of peripheral nerves is described. The decwode was designed for acute studies in which the effects of per ipheral nerve stimulation on eenlrld neural acdv~ly in rals were determined. Since Ihe electrode can be seeuled into Ii fixed position, neural recordings can be aaade during the slimulaHon of wldous v JaccYId nerves lind Ihe electrode carl ~e easib Ildapled for cbronic behavioral studies, Stimulallng eleetrede Peripheral nelves Bipolar eIeelricnl sgmulntlon STIMULATION of peripheral nerves during the recording of central neural activity requires a stimulating electrode which is small and can be secured wlthoul mldfunctioning or interfering with normal physiological funetlons. The presen~ reporl describes the construction of a bipolar stimulation electrode which meets these requirements and can a/so be utilized for similar pt~rposes under chronic conditions. ME'rHOD App<lll(lllIx (~ll~l Proc~,dlll'e The following equipment is required for eonstruelion of the electrode: male (No. 220-P02) and female (No. 220-S02) amphenol connectors (Bunker Ramp); standard speaker wire; shrink tubing (No. 221, 3/32 in., Alpha Wire Corp.); insulaled silver wire (size 008, 10..52 fZ/fl, Molecu~Wire Corp.); intramedie PE 10 tubing (No. 7401. Clay Adams); rigid plastic tubing (I .5 mm o.d., 1.0 mm i.d.); Silastlc medi- cal adhesive (Silicone type A, NO. 891. Dow Cornlng); and flexible polyethylene lubing (4.0 mm o.d., 3.0 mm i.d.). Figure I illustrates the electrode, idenrifle~ the pans used in its construction, and indicates how it is utilized for nerve stimulation. Two small holes. 3 mm apart, should be made with a heated pin aiong the length of a I cm piece of the rigid plastic tubing (RT). Two 14 cm pieces of the insdlated silve, wire (AgW) shouM then be threaded through each pinhole and bolh wiles directed out the stone end of lhe rigid plastic tubing. Allow approxlmately 3 cm of each wire ~o exlend beyond the pinhole and slrlp the insukltion fron~ this poltion of Ihe wire. The two pinholes al'c concealed by Ihe uninsu- lated wire which is wrupped over them. Complelely fib the tubing wi~h Silaslie medical adhesive (SA). Wind Ihe insu- latefl porlion of the two silver wires which have been ted through the tubing around each other fol 7 cn~ and slip a 7 cm piece of PE 10 tubing (PE 10) over Ihese Iwo wound wh'es, Using Silastie adhesive, fill in around 1he PE 10 ~ublng and seal il to Ihe I cm piece of rigid plustlc tubing. The two 2 cm pieces of insulaled ~itver wire wb~ch extend I?om ~he PE Ig tubing should then have male amphenol conneelors (MAC) soldered into position. The~e lwo pieces of wire should be further insulated using three 2 cm pieces of shrink lubing (ST). Each wire should be inserted into one piece of ~he shrink tubing and heated so Ihat the ~lnlphenol eonneclor is instda~ed completely to ~he conneclor pin. Also, anolher piece of shrink tubing should be placed over the other zwo pieces and partially over Ihe PE l0 tubing and healed. Con- nections to ~he stimulator should be Io female ampheno~ connectors (FAC) soldered Io insulaled speaker wire (SW). To be cerla~n thal the connectors do not short to the animal the I~male amphenol connectors must also be completely IThls res~reh was supported by a grant from Ibe NINCDS USPHS No. NS 13543 Moleeu-Wire Corporation, a subsidlary of Superior Tube Company, N J, generously donated Ihe insulated silver w~re used to eonstnlcl the stimulating electrode. :Reprinl requests to Dr. M. J. Wayner at above address. ~Visiting Seienllsts at the Bmi~ Research Laboralory. Copyright ~ 1979 ANKHO International Inc.--0361-9230/79/030421-04500.70/0