Stimulation of the human nervous system using the magnetic coil

Abstract

The magnetic coil (MC) is a unique probe that can be used to elucidate basic neurophysiological mechanisms in humans. Either by excitation or inhibition of responding neural elements, we have been able to investigate: (1) the distribution of the electric field induced within isotropic and anisotropic volume conductors by round and figure-eight MCs; (2) the theoretical relationship between electric field distribution and excitation of distal peripheral nerve, nerve root, cranial nerve, and motor cortex; (3) the effect of focal MC stimulation of motor and visual systems; (4) perturbation of sequential digit movements by MC stimulation of human premotor cortex; (5) activation of frontal motor areas related to speech; (6) elicitation of a sense of movement in an ischemic paralyzed limb by focal MC cortical stimulation; and (7) the effect of stimulation of the human visual system to (a) suppress and unmask visual perception using single MC stimuli and (b) prolong visual suppression using short trains of MC stimuli. In the future, prolongation of MC action by using repetitive stimuli should be useful in further investigating functions concerned with language, speech, and cognition.