Conductivities of three-layer human skull

Brain Topogr. 2000 Fall;13(1):29-42. doi: 10.1023/a:1007882102297.

Abstract

In this study, electrical conductivities of compact, spongiosum, and bulk layers of cadaver skull were determined at varying electric fields at room temperature. Current was applied and withdrawn over the top and bottom surfaces of each sample and potential drop across different layers was measured using the four-electrode method. We developed a model, which considers of variations in skull thicknesses, to determine the conductivity of the tri-layer skull and its individual anatomical structures. The results indicate that the spongiform and the two compact layers of the skull have significantly different and inhomogeneous conductivities ranging from 0.76 +/- .14 to 11.5 +/- 1.8 milliS/m.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Electric Conductivity*
  • Electric Stimulation / methods
  • Electroencephalography
  • Humans
  • Magnetoencephalography
  • Skull / physiology*