Numerical model of electrical potential within the human head

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in engineering Vol. 56; no. 15; pp. 2353 - 2366
• Main Authors: Nixon, J. B., Rasser, P. E., Teubner, M. D., Clark, C. R., Bottema, M. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 21-04-2003
• Subjects: Electric potential; Finite difference method; Human; human head; Iterative methods; Mathematical models; numerical modelling; Resistivity; Segments; Three dimensional
• ISSN: 0029-5981; 1097-0207
• DOI: 10.1002/nme.649

A realistic subject‐specific human head model was constructed based on structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data. Electrical conductivities were assigned inhomogeneously according to tissue type and variability within each head segment. A three‐dimensional (3D) finite‐difference method (FDM) was used to compute the evolution of the electrical potential from a single electrical dipole within the brain. The Douglas–Rachford FDM and three versions of iterative FDM were tested on a three‐layer concentric sphere model. The successive over‐relaxation (SOR) iterative method showed the best convergence properties and hence was used to compute the electrical potential within a realistic head model. The effect of using inhomogeneous rather than homogeneous conductivities within head segments of this model was shown to be important. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.