Virtual Physiology
The Program: SimNerv
SimNerv is the first program in a series of interactive CD-ROMs ("Virtual Physiology") for teaching physiology in biology courses at school as well as universities in medical, biological and related faculties. The programs have been developed at the Institute of Physiology, University of Marburg, and are distributed by Thieme Publ., Stuttgart/NewYork.
SimNerv is NOT an electronic textbook but a realistic computer simulation which allows "LEARNING BY DOING" in a virtual computer lab. It is used for demonstrations in lectures and seminars as well as in practical courses as an alternative to or a preparation for the real experiment.
SimNerv consists of three parts (Fig. P1):
1) Wetlands is primarily to appetize the students with a gallery of frog pictures with sound.
2) Preparation shows digital video-sequences of the dissection and preparation of the nerve.
3) Experiments is the main part of the program.
It provides a virtual lab with the complete equipment to study the fundamentals
of nerve stimulation: stimulator, oscilloscope, recording chamber, and
two "frog sciatic nerves" (Fig.P2).
Stimulator and oscilloscope can be adjusted by mouse. The position of stimulating and recording electrodes can easily be changed. Nerve ligations can be set (and removed) using a thread.
Action potentials are calculated in accordance to the actual stimulation and recording parameters by a set of specifically designed mathematical algorithms which also account for a physiologically realistic variability of responses in different nerve preparations. Altogether, the situation closely resembles the real lab, and each user can decide which experiments he wants to do in which sequence.
SimNerv is used at many universities and colleges in different countries. At the University of Marburg, it is part of a practical physiology course for medical and human-biology students. The students have to perform several tasks and protocol the results (within about 4 hours):
a) stimulus-response
relation
b) strength-duration curve
c) biphasic and monophasic responses
d) refractory period
e) anode opening potentials
f) conduction velocity
g) effects of ligatures and electrode
positions
"... I heartly praise this software. It is truly
unique and a major boost for colleges to teach the basics of neurophysiology."
David F.Wilson, Ph.D., Department
of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA