Chronaxie
Pronunciation: KRON-ax-ee
The minimum stimulus duration required to excite neural tissue at twice the rheobase current intensity.
Full Definition
Chronaxie is a neurophysiological parameter that quantifies the temporal threshold for neural stimulation at a specific current level (twice the rheobase). This measurement is essential for understanding the time-current relationship in neural excitation and optimizing pulse width settings in neurostimulation devices. Chronaxie values vary between different types of neural tissue and can influence the selection of stimulation parameters for maximum efficiency and battery life. Together with rheobase, chronaxie helps characterize the complete strength-duration curve for neural stimulation.
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the current multiplier (typically 2x rheobase) when reporting chronaxie.
In Context
- "The measured chronaxie of 180 microseconds guided the selection of optimal pulse width settings." — Programming optimization report
- "Chronaxie measurements revealed differences in neural tissue properties between electrode contacts." — Electrophysiological assessment