What Is TMS?

 

What Is TMS? Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to focus induced currents in the brain and modulate the function of the cortex. During TMS, an intense pulsed magnetic field is focused onto the underlying neural tissue via a current carrying coil. This pulsed magnetic field will in turn induce currents in the tissue; thus TMS represents a method of "electrodeless" electrical stimulation, whereby the magnetic component is responsible for bridging the transition between current passed in the coil and current induced within the brain. The effects of this induced current are dependent on numerous stimulation parameters (such as stimulation frequency, intensity and coil configuration and orientation). TMS is widely used as a probe to study the relationship between human brain function and behavior (to investigate memory, language, attention, learning, and motor function) and is being utilized therapeutically in the treatment of depression.