Sensory Entrained TMS (seTMS) enhances motor cortex excitability.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied to the motor cortex has revolutionized the study of motor physiology in humans. Despite this, TMS-evoked electrophysiological responses show significant variability, due in part to inconsistencies between TMS pulse timing and ongoing brain oscillations. Variable responses to TMS limit mechanistic insights and clinical efficacy, necessitating the development of methods to precisely coordinate the timing of TMS pulses to the phase of relevant oscillatory activity.

Mapping cortical excitability in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is an effective treatment for depression, but the neural effects after TMS remains unclear. TMS paired with electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) can causally probe these neural effects. Nonetheless, variability in single pulse TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs) across dlPFC subregions, and potential artifact induced by muscle activation, necessitate detailed mapping for accurate treatment monitoring.

Real-time optimization to enhance noninvasive cortical excitability assessment in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Objective: We currently lack a robust noninvasive method to measure prefrontal excitability in humans. Concurrent TMS and EEG in the prefrontal cortex is usually confounded by artifacts. Here we asked if real-time optimization could reduce artifacts and enhance a TMS-EEG measure of left prefrontal excitability.

Neural effects of TMS trains on the human prefrontal cortex.

How does a train of TMS pulses modify neural activity in humans? Despite adoption of repetitive TMS (rTMS) for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, we still do not understand how rTMS changes the human brain. This limited understanding stems in part from a lack of methods for noninvasively measuring the neural effects of a single TMS train-a fundamental building block of treatment-as well as the cumulative effects of consecutive TMS trains. Gaining this understanding would provide foundational knowledge to guide the next generation of treatments.

Personalized Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depression.

Personalized treatments are gaining momentum across all fields of medicine. Precision medicine can be applied to neuromodulatory techniques, in which focused brain stimulation treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulate brain circuits and alleviate clinical symptoms. rTMS is well tolerated and clinically effective for treatment-resistant depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Neural effects of TMS trains on the human prefrontal cortex.

How does a train of TMS pulses modify neural activity in humans? Despite adoption of repetitive TMS (rTMS) for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, we still do not understand how rTMS changes the human brain. This limited understanding stems in part from a lack of methods for noninvasively measuring the neural effects of a single TMS train - a fundamental building block of treatment - as well as the cumulative effects of consecutive TMS trains. Gaining this understanding would provide foundational knowledge to guide the next generation of treatments.

Mapping cortical excitability in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Objective: To characterize early TEPs anatomically and temporally (20-50 ms) close to the TMS pulse (EL-TEPs), as well as associated muscle artifacts (<20 ms), across the dlPFC. We hypothesized that TMS location and angle influence EL-TEPs, and that EL-TEP amplitude is inversely related to muscle artifact. Additionally, we sought to determine an optimal group-level TMS target and angle, while investigating the potential benefits of a personalized approach.