Concurrent TMS-fMRI

With 5 times more power than the standard MagPro, the MagVenture Magpro XP available at Campus Biotech is a high performance 250 Hz stimulator for transcranial magnetic stimulation compatible with MRI. The MagPro XP allows researchers to manipulate and measure brain activity at the same time by combining Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) at 3T.

This technology provides brand new possibilities to bridge the gap between clinical and biomedical research, to better understand cognitive processes by stimulating specific neuronal populations, manipulating the brain and creating reversible virtual lesions while measuring the brain neurovascular response to determine causal relationships.

A dedicated MR coil array allows for high-sensitivity fMRI, particularly at the site of stimulation. A second MR coil array is placed contralaterally in order to obtain whole-brain coverage. In addition, our TMS/fMRI setup can be easily combined with state-of-the-art neuronavigation systems for advanced targeting of specific brain regions.

TMS stimulations can be rapidly interleaved with MRI acquisitions to probe the brain hemodynamic response to the TMS stimulus. Potential TMS targets include (but are not limited to) motor, visual and prefrontal cortex.

The concurrent TMS-fMRI setup enables:

• Concurrent Theta Burst/fMRI at 3T
• Advanced burst sequencing
• Clustered pulses at extremely high frequencies (0 – 250 Hz)
• 5 x more power than standard MagPro
• Remote control and/or triggering with conventional neuroimaging software

You can find details on how to remotely control the TMS and examples of concurrent TMS-fMRI scripts in the Tutorial: TMS remote control.