Voltage gated sodium ion channels: from phenomena to technology

Electrical activation of the nervous system is about the controlled and targeted release of neurotransmitters. The ability to activate a desired population of nerve fibers, without activating other, unwanted populations, opens opportunities to develop devices that are capable of addressing many of the neurological problems facing the citizens of the world. The fundamental phenomena that underlie the electrical excitability properties of voltage gated ion channels are described. Techniques to utilize the nonlinear, time dependent, properties are presented along with the associated electrode technology that is employed to implement the concepts