Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
The focus of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) division is to enhance the precision and ease with which TMS can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders and for neuroscience research. TMS is the newest and least invasive form of electrical brain stimulation. It is being developed for clinical application in pre-surgical mapping and in treatment of depression. It is also being used in neuroscientific applications to examine neural connectivity, reversible-lesion cognitive mapping, and chronometry of brain processing. Approximately 4/5 of the studies are in normal subjects; 1/5 of the studies are in patients.
Subject Testing Room
Subjects are tested in a room with an examination table and a computer which can support integrated control of TMS stimulation and psychological stimuli, which are presented through a color monitor and headphones. The computer also can record subjects’ responses and electrophysiology.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Systems
The TMS division has two transcranial magnetic stimulation systems, a Cadwell High Speed Magnetic Stimulator for humans and a Magstim BiStim Module for small animals. Coil aiming is performed by an automatic and extremely accurate positioning device, the NeuroMate Robotic System. Scalp position is digitized by a MicroScribe mechanical arm with five axes and high-precision encoders.