Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful new tool with extremely interesting research and therapeutic potentials. Further understanding of the ways by which TMS changes neuronal function, especially as a function of its use parameters, will improve its ability to answer neuroscience questions as well as to treat diseases. Because of its noninvasiveness, it does not readily fit under the umbrella of neurosurgery. Nevertheless, it is important for neurosurgeons to be aware of TMS, because findings from TMS studies will have implications for neurosurgical approaches like deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation. Indeed, it is possible to think of using TMS as a potential noninvasive initial screening tool to identify whether perturbation of a circuit has short-term clinical effects. Whatever road the future takes, TMS is an important new tool that will likely be of interest to neurosurgeons over the next 20 years and perhaps even longer.