Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 28 September 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5846, pp. 1918 - 1921
DOI: 10.1126/science.1146426
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Elicits Coupled Neural and Hemodynamic Consequences

Elena A. Allen,* Brian N. Pasley,* Thang Duong, Ralph D. Freeman{dagger}

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an increasingly common technique used to selectively modify neural processing. However, application of TMS is limited by uncertainty concerning its physiological effects. We applied TMS to the cat visual cortex and evaluated the neural and hemodynamic consequences. Short TMS pulse trains elicited initial activation (~1 minute) and prolonged suppression (5 to 10 minutes) of neural responses. Furthermore, TMS disrupted the temporal structure of activity by altering phase relationships between neural signals. Despite the complexity of this response, neural changes were faithfully reflected in hemodynamic signals; quantitative coupling was present over a range of stimulation parameters. These results demonstrate long-lasting neural responses to TMS and support the use of hemodynamic-based neuroimaging to effectively monitor these changes over time.

Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Group in Vision Science, School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

* These authors contributed equally to this work.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: freeman{at}neurovision.berkeley.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Induced Deficits in Speed Perception by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Human Cortical Areas V5/MT+ and V3A.
D. J. McKeefry, M. P. Burton, C. Vakrou, B. T. Barrett, and A. B. Morland (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 6848-6857
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Contribution of transcranial magnetic stimulation to the understanding of cortical mechanisms involved in motor control.
J. Reis, O. B. Swayne, Y. Vandermeeren, M. Camus, M. A. Dimyan, M. Harris-Love, M. A. Perez, P. Ragert, J. C. Rothwell, and L. G. Cohen (2008)
J. Physiol. 586, 325-351
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)