ShEEP Request for MagVenture rTMS machine with EEG and fMRI synchronization

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Project Summary / Abstract For this Office of Research Development Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP) proposal, we are requesting a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) device with functional magnetic stimulation (fMRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) integration as a shared-equipment resource to be used primarily for mental health research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression, schizophrenia, and chronic pain. The requested TMS device is state-of-the- art and capable of delivering brief pulses of high alternating magnetic fields. TMS is an essential tool for cognitive/translational neuroscientific investigations and also used to induce long-term plasticity and improve outcomes in clinical interventions. TMS is currently FDA approved to treat major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and there are many clinical trials ongoing for multiple other conditions. At the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center (JMVAMC), there are several TMS devices, but all are dedicated primarily for clinical services and almost entirely occupied at present. Moreover, these devices are optimized for the FDA-approved treatments and do not have all of the capabilities typically required for research-based investigations. The advanced features of the device we are requesting include fMRI and EEG compatibility and the ability to perform high-frequency (i.e., theta- burst-stimulation) high-power pulses. This device also comes with the full assortment of accessories (coil, seating chair, coil holder, and the full assortment of MRI-safe equipment) required to perform the studies outlined in the Research Plan. With this device, there are a number of current and future research projects that would be facilitated, including basic cognitive neuroscience investigations into neural mechanisms underlying PTSD and TBI and clinical/translational research in several mental health disorders, including PTSD, TBI, depression, schizophrenia and chronic pain. This device has the potential to accelerate clinical research at JMVAMC across a wide-variety of PIs and research projects focused on mental health and related conditions.