Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Overview

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique that uses rapidly changing magnetic fields to induce electric currents in specific regions of the brain. By placing a magnetic coil over the scalp, TMS can transiently modulate cortical excitability, either enhancing or inhibiting neural activity depending on the stimulation parameters. The technique offers high temporal resolution and spatial specificity, making it a powerful tool for probing causal relationships between brain regions and cognitive or motor functions. TMS can be delivered as single pulses, paired pulses, or repetitive trains (rTMS), enabling both experimental and therapeutic applications.

Research Applications

TMS is widely used in cognitive neuroscience and clinical research to investigate brain–behavior relationships across domains such as perception, attention, language, memory, and motor control. It allows researchers to transiently disrupt or facilitate activity in targeted cortical areas, providing causal evidence of their functional role. In combination with neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques (e.g., EEG or MRI), TMS supports multimodal studies of brain connectivity and network dynamics. Clinically, TMS is also employed in the study and treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, schizophrenia, and stroke rehabilitation, as well as in the development and validation of novel neuromodulation protocols.

Technical Specifications

-MagVenture MagPro X100 with MagOption (Advanced Cooling System)

-Magstim BiStim²

-Axilum Robotics TMS-Cobot 2

-Rogue Research Brainsight Neuronavigation System

-Wide range of stimulation coils (standard, dynamic cooling, static cooling configurations)