Principles, safety and utility of transcranial magnetic stimulation in cognitive neuropsychology

Abstract

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can safely disrupt cortical activity thus allowing investigation of the timing of cognitive functions and the connectivity between the neural substrates mediating these functions. Here, the principles behind TMS as well as contemporary safety guidelines necessary for its use are reviewed in addition to recent studies that highlight the types of approaches that may be useful for psychological investigation. The literature provides support for the general safety of the technique. Magnetic stimulation has great utility in creating models of neuropsychological disorders in the intact brain, as well as addressing the validity of existing cognitive models.