Cortical Inhibition, Excitation, and Connectivity in Schizophrenia: A Review of Insights From Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a debilitating mental illness with an elusive pathophysiology. Over the last decade, theories emphasizing cortical dysfunction have received increasing attention to explain the heterogeneous symptoms experienced in SCZ. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive form of brain stimulation that is particularly suited to probing the fidelity of specific excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations in conscious humans. In this study, we review the contribution of TMS in assessing inhibitory and excitatory neuronal populations and their long-range connections in SCZ. In addition, we discuss insights from combined TMS and electroencephalography into the functional consequences of impaired excitation/inhibition on cortical oscillations in SCZ.