ArticleBioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)2025
The "Cocombola Study": A Physical Phantom Model for tDCS-Induced Electric Field Distribution.
Article in Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)-induced electric fields (EFs) acting on brain tissues are hardly controllable. Among physical models used in neuroscience research, watermelons are known as head-like phantoms for their dielectric properties. In this study, we aimed to define an inexpensive and reliable method to qualitatively define the spatial distribution of tDCS-induced EFs based on the use of watermelons.
methodsAfter creating the eight cranial foramina and identifying the location of the 21 EEG scalp electrodes on the peel of a watermelon, voltage differences during stimulation were recorded in each of the 21 scalp electrode positions, one at a time, at four different depths. The recordings were graphically represented by using polar coordinates with the watermelon approximated to a perfect sphere.
resultsTo validate the model, we performed three experiments in well-known montages. The results obtained were in line with the expected behavior of the EFs.
conclusionsWatermelon might be a cheap and feasible phantom head model to characterize the EFs induced by tDCS and, potentially, even other non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.
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