Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation News and Research

RSS

NACC recommendations address established pain therapies and preview potential future advances

Recommendations of the Neuromodulation Appropriateness Consensus Committee (NACC), announced at the 11th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS), address established therapies and preview emerging and potential future advances.

13 Jun 2013

Drug addiction can be visualized in specific regions of brain that determine decision-making

New research shows that craving drugs such as nicotine can be visualized in specific regions of the brain that are implicated in determining the value of actions, in planning actions and in motivation.

24 May 2013

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques improve memory

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques aimed at mental and neurological conditions include transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression, and transcranial direct current (electrical) stimulation, shown to improve memory.

20 May 2013

Nearly 1/10 stroke patients suffer from chronic and debilitating pain

Nearly 1 in 10 stroke patients suffer chronic and debilitating pain, typically described as sharp, stabbing or burning. It's called central poststroke pain syndrome (CPSP). It was first described more than 100 years ago, and it is treatable with medications and magnetic or electrical stimulation of the brain.

9 May 2013

UC Berkeley vision scientists pinpoint how the brain tracks fast-moving objects

How does San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval swat a 95 mph fastball, or tennis icon Venus Williams see the oncoming ball, let alone return her sister Serena's 120 mph serves? For the first time, vision scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have pinpointed how the brain tracks fast-moving objects.

9 May 2013

Transcranial magnetic stimulation benefits in Parkinson’s disease

A course of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivered over the supplementary motor area improves motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease, shows results from a randomized controlled trial.

25 Apr 2013

High frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation of brain reduces cravings for nicotine

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths globally. Unfortunately smoking cessation is difficult, with more than 90% of attempts to quit resulting in relapse

17 Apr 2013

Working-memory training can improve range of skills, new study reveals

A brain-training task that increases the number of items an individual can remember over a short period of time may boost performance in other problem-solving tasks by enhancing communication between different brain areas.

16 Apr 2013

Further research needed into therapeutic potential of rTMS for focal hand dystonia

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being increasingly explored as a therapeutic tool for movement disorders associated with deficient inhibition throughout the central nervous system. This includes treatment of focal hand dystonia (FHD), characterized by involuntary movement of the fingers either curling into the palm or extending outward.

11 Apr 2013

Study: Altering brain activity with laser light eliminates addictive behavior in rats

By stimulating one part of the brain with laser light, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UC San Francisco (UCSF) have shown that they can wipe away addictive behavior in rats - or conversely turn non-addicted rats into compulsive cocaine seekers.

4 Apr 2013

Stimulating brain using magnetic stimulation may improve cognitive function, say scientists

Cognitive impairments are disabling for individuals with schizophrenia, and no satisfactory treatments currently exist. These impairments affect a wide range of cognition, including memory, attention, verbal and motor skills, and IQ.

14 Mar 2013

Left-sided brain injury increases infection risk

Patients with a left-sided brain injury are more likely to develop hospital-acquired infections than those with right-sided injury, show study findings.

5 Mar 2013

New combination of neural imaging methods discovers brain's ability to adapt to injury

For the first time, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (CCBI) have used a new combination of neural imaging methods to discover exactly how the human brain adapts to injury.

17 Jan 2013

Transcranial stimulation improves symptoms of Tourette’s

A month of daily transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the supplemental motor area results in lasting improvements in symptoms of Tourette syndrome, show study findings.

18 Dec 2012

Nerve stimulation improves hand use in spinal cord injury patients

A method combining transcranial magnetic stimulation with electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves in the wrist temporarily improves hand use in spinal cord injury patients, show research findings published in Current Biology.

5 Dec 2012

Sharp decline in ECT availability and use in the U.S. general hospitals

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered the most effective treatment option for patients with severe depression who cannot find symptom relief through antidepressant medications or psychotherapy. In a new study, researchers at Butler Hospital and Bradley Hospital in Rhode Island found a sharp decline in the availability and use of ECT in general hospitals across the U.S.

21 Nov 2012

Transcranial magnetic stimulation can benefit patients with depression, debilitating tinnitus

Three patients who have suffered periodic major depression throughout their adult lives told an audience attending a Loyola Grand Rounds presentation how their lives have been transformed by a new magnetic therapy.

16 Oct 2012

Loyola study to evaluate whether transcranial magnetic stimulation can help people with tinnitus

Loyola University Medical Center is studying whether a new form of non-invasive magnetic therapy can help people who suffer debilitating tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

19 Sep 2012

Scientists discover biological marker that may help identify patients’ response to antidepressants

Scientists have discovered a biological marker that may help to identify which depressed patients will respond to an experimental, rapid-acting antidepressant. The brain signal, detectable by noninvasive imaging, also holds clues to the agent's underlying mechanism, which are vital for drug development, say National Institutes of Health researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Transcranial magnetic stimulation enhances visual abilities in healthy adults

Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), an international team led by researchers from the Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière (CNRS / Inserm / UPMC) has succeeded in enhancing the visual abilities of a group of healthy subjects.

6 Jun 2012