Cross-cutting TMS Technology with Advanced Imaging for NeuroRehabilitation Treatment Applications

The equipment requested is a MagProX100 with MagOption Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) System. TMS is a non-invasive technique able to increase or decrease cortical excitability and applications include brain mapping, studies of neuroplasticity and treatment. As a treatment, repetitive TMS has been mostly studied for drug-resistant depression, but research with other neurologic and psychiatric conditions is growing. The MagProX100 offers the greatest flexibility for developing TMS treatment applications because TMS parameters, including pulse duration, pulse amplitude, inter-pulse-intervals, and number of pulses and trains can be manipulated to optimize treatment applications. This versatility will support currently funded CDMRP research and enable future CDMRP research examining TMS as a treatment and particularly intermittent theta burst stimulation as a treatment for mild TBI and PTSD. The MagOption upgrade provides this flexibility. MagVenture offers a wide variety of coils. The C-B60 Butterfly Coil is for single-pulse TMS to determine motor threshold. The MagPro Cool Coil B65 A/P is a combined active/sham coil designed for double-blind randomized clinical trials. A coil specialized for use during MRI (MRi-B91 coil) is available for studying immediate TMS-induced brain changes. The Coil Cool-40 rat coil allows for animal studies of TMS. The MagProX100 is the most versatile TMS system available for use in clinical and pre-clinical research. Acquisition of the MagProX100 would be pivotal for Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine (NUFSM) and Hines VAH researchers to develop treatments for complex neurological and psychiatric conditions that are of high priority to the DoD (e.g., TBI, PTSD, Addiction). The researchers using this device will lead TMS research-related education through workshops for researchers, annual courses for clinicians and hands-on training. Development of non-invasive neurorehabilitation treatments that reduce morbidity and maximize function is important for major combat-related trauma across the spectrum of combat casualty care.