AUTHOR=Joseph Kevin , Mottaghi Soheil , Christ Olaf , Feuerstein Thomas J. , Hofmann Ulrich G. 

TITLE=When the Ostrich-Algorithm Fails: Blanking Method Affects Spike Train Statistics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2018.00293

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2018.00293

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=Particular challenges are faced when electrophysiological recordings of neuronal tissue are carried out during high frequency electrical stimulation, both in-vivo and in-vitro. This stimulation produces undesired artifacts and can render the recorded signal only partially useful. Reducing the extent of these artefacts can be done by temporarily grounding the input during the stimulation pulses. In the following study, we quantify the effects of this method, ‘blanking’, on the spike train count. Starting from a theoretical standpoint, we calculate a loss in the absolute number of action potentials, depending on: width of the blanking window, frequency of stimulation, and intrinsic neuronal activity. These calculations were then corroborated by actual high signal to noise ratio (SNR) single cell recordings. We state that, for clinically relevant frequencies of 130 Hz (used for movement disorders) and realistic blanking windows of 2 ms, up to 27% of actual existing spikes are lost. We strongly advice cautioned use of the blanking method when spike rate quantification is attempted.