Simulation Studies of Ultrashort, High-Intensity Electric Pulse Induced Action Potential Block in Whole-Animal Nerves

A theoretical study of possible neuromuscular incapacitation based on the application of high-intensity, ultrashort electric pulses is presented. The analysis is applied to a rat, but the approach is general and can be extended to any whole-animal and applies for any arbitrary pulse waveform. It is hypothesized that repeatable and reversible action potential blocks in nerves can be attained based on the electroporation mechanism. Our numerical studies are based on the Hodgkin-Huxley distributed circuit representation of nerves, and incorporate a nodal analysis for the time-dependent and volumetric perturbing potentials and internal electric fields in whole animals. The predictions are compared to actual 600-ns experimental reports on rats and shown to be in very good agreement. Effective strength-duration plots for neuromuscular incapacitation are also generated.