Apparent extracellular current density and extracellular space: basis for the current source density analysis in neural tissue

This article provides a theoretical basis for relating macroscopic electrical signals recorded from biological tissue, such as electroencephalogram (EEG) and local field potential (LFP), to the electrophysiological processes at the cellular level in a manner consistent with Maxwell’s equations. Concepts of the apparent extracellular current density and the apparent extracellular space with apparent permittivity and conductivity are introduced from the conservation of current and Gauss’s theorem. A general equation for the current source density (CSD) analysis is derived for biological tissue with frequency-dependent apparent permittivity and conductivity. An intuitive account of the apparent extracellular space is given to relate the concept to the dielectric dispersion of biological tissue.