Imaging brain activation induced by long trains of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

Neuroreport. 1998 Mar 30;9(5):943-8. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199803300-00033.

Abstract

Using positron emission tomography (PET), we measured the relative changes in regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) during 2 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the left sensorimotor cortex (SM1) and during imitation of rTMS-induced arm movements. Such stimulation caused an rCMRglc increase of about 8% within the SM1. The relative rCMRglc increase within SM1 was significantly greater in magnitude and larger in area during voluntary imitation of rTMS-induced arm movements. Moreover, the rostral part of the SMA was significantly more activated by voluntary movements than during rTMS. Combining rTMS and PET has the potential to visualize rTMS-related net brain activation, and may open up new possibilities for functional network analysis by comparing willed brain activation with electromagnetic brain activation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Electromagnetic Fields*
  • Female
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Cortex / physiology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed

Substances

  • Glucose