Repetitive TMS temporarily alters brain diffusion.
The authors investigated whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 1 Hz (12 minutes; 90% of motor threshold) to the primary motor cortex (M1) leads to changes in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). After the rTMS train, there was a temporary small restriction in diffusion within the targeted left M1 that disappeared after 5 minutes. These findings provide a physiologic correlate to the reported behavioral consequences of off-line 1-Hz rTMS and reveal the transitory nature of the effects.
Mottaghy
F M
FM
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. felix.mottaghy@medizin.uni-ulm.de
Gangitano
M
M
Horkan
C
C
Chen
Y
Y
Pascual-Leone
A
A
Schlaug
G
G
D000328:Adult; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors