Nausea as a complication of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the posterior fossa.
BACKGROUND
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can non-invasively investigate the function of human brain. However, it can induce a focal pain at the stimulated site on the scalp or seizures when applied with high frequency (>1 Hz). Here we report an induction of nausea as a complication of low-frequency repetitive TMS (rTMS) of the cerebellum.


METHODS
Eight right-handed normal volunteers underwent low-frequency (0.9 Hz) rTMS of the right cerebellum. The stimulus intensity was set at 90% of the resting motor threshold determined by TMS to motor cortex.


RESULTS
Nausea lasted as long as 10 min after the end of rTMS without apparent neurological deficit in two subjects. This symptom was replicated when the same protocol was applied on a different day in the same subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-frequency rTMS of cerebellum is still a safe procedure, but the experimenters should keep in mind the possibility of inducing nausea.
Satow
Takeshi
T
Department of Brain Pathophysiopathology, Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
Mima
Tatsuya
T
Hara
Hidemi
H
Oga
Tatsuhide
T
Ikeda
Akio
A
Hashimoto
Nobuo
N
Shibasaki
Hiroshi
H
D000328:Adult; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D020546:Fourth Ventricle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011149:Pons / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012016:Reference Values; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation