1. To excite in a manner that, if of sufficient magnitude, can elicit certain kinds of activity: The discussion Mike and his fellow students are having about future vocations stimulates him to want to prepare more for his future employment as a salesman.
2. To encourage or to arouse interest or enthusiasm in something: Tim's school offered courses that stimulated a passion for learning.
3. To cause something to happen or to develop: A raise in worker wages by a business is one way to stimulate greater production.
4. Etymology: from Latin stimulare, "to goad, to urge." © ALL rights are reserved.

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A bone regeneration process in which surgically implanted electrodes convey electric current, particularly at nonunion fracture sites; effective because of the different electrical potentials within bone tissue.

The process is effective because of the different electric potentials within bone tissue. Viable non-stressed bone is electronegative in the metaphysical regions and over a fracture callus and electropositive in the diaphyses and other less active regions.

Electric stimulation of the fractures can accelerate osteogenesis, forming bone more quickly in the area of a surgically inserted negative electrode.

Electrically stimulated osteogenesis can be achieved with a device that stimulates the fracture site electrically by means of several surgically implanted cathodes.

Another method for applying electrical current to fractured bone involves an open surgical procedure and implantation of electrodes.