Priyam Rastogi

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-coil design with improved focality

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a technique for neuromodulation that can be used as a non-invasive therapy for various neurological disorders. In TMS, a time varying magnetic field generated from an electromagnetic coil placed on the scalp is used to induce an electric field inside the brain. TMS coil geometry plays an important role in determining the focality and depth of penetration of the induced electric field responsible for stimulation. Clinicians and basic scientists are interested in stimulating a localized area of the brain, while minimizing the stimulation of surrounding neural networks. In this paper, a novel coil has been proposed, namely Quadruple Butterfly Coil (QBC) with an improved focality over the commercial Figure-8 coil. Finite element simulations were conducted with both the QBC and the conventional Figure-8 coil. The two coil’s stimulation profiles were assessed with 50 anatomically realistic MRI derived head models. The coils were positioned on the vertex and the scalp o...

Investigation of Coil Designs for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Mice

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, surgery-free, and safe treatment for major depressive disorder. There is a need to develop coils, which can stimulate deep brain regions for the treatment of other neurological disorders, such as Parkinsons disease. Stimulation of the deep brain regions cannot be directly tested on human subjects without successful animal trials. In this paper, seven mouse TMS coils were compared and their electric and magnetic fields in the brain were calculated. Coils, such as “Slinky” coil and “V” coil, stimulate small and outer layers of the mouse brain, while “Animal Halo” coil stimulates ~90 % of the mouse brain. This comparison between the coils enables researchers to choose the right coil according to their need, such as the depth of penetration or the focality of brain region to be stimulated.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation promotes the proliferation of dopaminergic neuronal cells in vitro

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive treatment for neurological disorders. TMS has been approved as a treatment for major depressive disorders by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008. Due to the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, a time-varying magnetic field induces an electric field in the conductive tissues in the brain, TMS has the ability to activate neurons in vivo. However, the effects of the magnetic fields on neurons in cell culture have not been investigated adequately. The magnetic fields affect the neurons when the potential across the neuronal membrane exceeds the threshold which in turn causes an action potential. Based on these theories, we investigated the effects of the magnetic fields generated by a monophasic stimulator with a 70 mm double coil on rat dopaminergic neuronal cell lines (N27). The directions of the magnetic fields in each coil of the double coil oppose each other. The effects of changing the direction of the magnetic field on N27 neurons was also investigated. The results of the experiments showed that both of the fields perpendicular to the coil surface promoted the proliferation of N27 dopaminergic neurons. In order to investigate the gene expression and protein expression affected by TMS, quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) was used. Here we report changes in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in dopaminergic neuronal cells (N27) after TMS treatment.Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive treatment for neurological disorders. TMS has been approved as a treatment for major depressive disorders by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2008. Due to the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, a time-varying magnetic field induces an electric field in the conductive tissues in the brain, TMS has the ability to activate neurons in vivo. However, the effects of the magnetic fields on neurons in cell culture have not been investigated adequately. The magnetic fields affect the neurons when the potential across the neuronal membrane exceeds the threshold which in turn causes an action potential. Based on these theories, we investigated the effects of the magnetic fields generated by a monophasic stimulator with a 70 mm double coil on rat dopaminergic neuronal cell lines (N27). The directions of the magnetic fields in each coil of the double coil oppose each other. The effects of changing the direction of the magnetic field o...

Impact of non-brain anatomy and coil orientation on inter- and intra-subject variability in TMS at midline

OBJECTIVE To investigate inter-subject variability with respect to cerebrospinal fluid thickness and brain-scalp distance, and to investigate intra-subject variability with different coil orientations. METHODS Simulations of the induced electric field (E-Field) using a figure-8 coil over the vertex were conducted on 50 unique head models and varying orientations on 25 models. Metrics exploring stimulation intensity, spread, and localization were used to describe inter-subject variability and effects of non-brain anatomy. RESULTS Both brain-scalp distance and CSF thickness were correlated with weaker stimulation intensity and greater spread. Coil rotations show that for the dorsal portion of the stimulated brain, E-Field intensities are highest when the anterior-posterior axis of the coil is perpendicular to the longitudinal fissure, but highest for the medial portion of the stimulated brain when the coil is oriented parallel to the longitudinal fissure. CONCLUSIONS Normal anatomical variation in healthy individuals leads to significant differences in the site of TMS, the intensity, and the spread. These variables are generally neglected but could explain significant variability in basic and clinical studies. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first work to show how brain-scalp distance and cerebrospinal fluid thickness influence focality, and to show the disassociation between dorsal and medial TMS.

Investigation of shape, position, and permeability of shielding material in quadruple butterfly coil for focused transcranial magnetic stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been gaining popularity in the therapy for several neurological disorders. A time-varying magnetic field is used to generate electric field in the brain. As the development of TMS methods takes place, emphasis on the coil design increases in order to improve focal stimulation. Ideally reduction of stimulation of neighboring regions of the target area is desired. This study, focused on the improvement of the focality of the Quadruple Butterfly Coil (QBC) with supplemental use of different passive shields. Parameters such as shape, position and permeability of the shields have been explored to improve the focus of stimulation. Results have been obtained with the help of computer modelling of a MRI derived heterogeneous head model over the vertex position and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex position using a finite element tool. Variables such as maximum electric field induced on the grey matter and scalp, volume and area of stimulation above half of the maximum value of electric field on the grey matter, and ratio of the maximum electric field in the brain versus the scalp have been investigated.Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been gaining popularity in the therapy for several neurological disorders. A time-varying magnetic field is used to generate electric field in the brain. As the development of TMS methods takes place, emphasis on the coil design increases in order to improve focal stimulation. Ideally reduction of stimulation of neighboring regions of the target area is desired. This study, focused on the improvement of the focality of the Quadruple Butterfly Coil (QBC) with supplemental use of different passive shields. Parameters such as shape, position and permeability of the shields have been explored to improve the focus of stimulation. Results have been obtained with the help of computer modelling of a MRI derived heterogeneous head model over the vertex position and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex position using a finite element tool. Variables such as maximum electric field i...

Quadruple Butterfly Coil With Passive Magnetic Shielding for Focused Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, safe and promising therapy for neurological conditions which utilizes transient magnetic fields for inducing electric field in the brain.