Transcranial magnetic stimulation: the method and application

Inga Griškova^{1, 2}, Jacqueline Höppner², Osvaldas Rukšėnas¹, Kastytis Dapšys³

¹Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vilnius University, Lithuania, ²Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Nervous Disease, University of Rostock, Germany, ³Department of Electrophysiological Research and Treatment Methods, Republican Vilnius Psychiatric Hospital, Lithuania

Key words: transcranial magnetic stimulation; safety; biological effects.

Summary. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a noninvasive method for stimulation of brain that is based on the ability of magnetic field to penetrate skull and brain meninges, subsequently inducing electric current in the brain tissues that produces neuronal depolarization and generation of action potentials. Moreover, transcranial magnetic stimulation has effects on neurochemical and synaptic processes in neurons. Due to its easy use and relatively fair side effects, nowadays, transcranial magnetic stimulation is widely used in neurosciences and medicine. The main areas of transcranial magnetic stimulation application are: 1) the investigation of cortical and spinal excitability, 2) the investigation of neuronal plasticity, 3) the investigation of neuronal connectivity, 4) functional mapping, and 5) the treatment of some neurological and psychiatric disorders. Transcranial magnetic stimulation alone or in combination with other noninvasive neuroimaging (PET – positron emission topography, MRI – magnetic resonance imaging) and neurofunctional (EEG – electroencephalography, ERP – event-related potentials, fMRI – functional magnetic resonance imaging) methods allows conducting research on brain functions. Thus, transcranial magnetic stimulation is suitable as a diagnostic tool in neurologic and neuropsychiatric brain research.

Correspondence to I. Griškova, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio 21, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: inga.griskova@gf.vu.lt

Received 21 October 2005, accepted 8 September 2006