Dynamic Multi-Channel TMS with Reconfigurable Coil

描述（由申请人提供）：大多数行为源于遥远解剖区域之间复杂的相互作用。这些区域在时间上异步接收神经信息。为了在研究行为的同时保持真实感官刺激过程中发生的信息的时序，需要一个具有合理时空分辨率的外部刺激系统。目前的经颅磁刺激（TMS）技术仅限于单个脑区。提出的研究目标是开发一种基于多通道可重构线圈的新型TMS系统。有了这种硬件，研究人员将能够在同一实验和单一实验中，以任何时间顺序重复地刺激多个大脑部位。这种设计在基础神经科学中有应用。我们还预计动态经颅磁刺激可能对治疗情绪障碍和其他精神问题有用。提出的系统将采用金属丝网线圈，该线圈将使用几根x向导线和几根y向导线构建。通过改变每根电线上的电流方向和/或强度，我们可以将这种网状线圈配置为不同尺寸的标准线圈和数字8线圈。这为实验者提供了最大的灵活性，因为大脑表面的刺激位置和程度可以根据实验要求进行修改。此外，人们可以在几秒钟内动态和自动地多次修改刺激的部位。通过在控制单元内预先存储各种兴奋模式序列，可以探索动态经颅磁刺激对行为和治疗的影响。具体目标是：1。研制一种包含可重构线圈的动态TMS样机。2. 为了测试可重构线圈的能力，以提供足够强度的聚焦磁场，选择性地激发或抑制幻影模型中选定的大脑区域。3. 评估系统的安全性和失效模式。公共卫生相关性：我们将开发一种新型的经颅磁刺激器（TMS）线圈，它可以在几秒钟内动态和自动地修改刺激的位置。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Most behaviors arise from complex interactions between distant anatomical areas. These areas receive neural information asynchronously in time. To investigate behavior while still maintaining the timing of information that occurs during real sensory stimulation, an external stimulation system with reasonable spatio-temporal resolution is needed. Current trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology is limited to single brain regions. The goal of the proposed research is to develop a novel TMS system based on multi-channel reconfigurable coils. With this hardware, researchers will be able to reproducibly stimulate multiple brain sites in any temporal order-in the same experiment and on a single experimental trial. This design has applications in basic neuroscience. We also anticipate that the dynamic TMS could be useful to treat mood disorders and other psychiatric problems. The proposed system will employ a wire-mesh coil, which will be constructed using several x-directional wires and several y-directional wires. By varying the current direction and/or strength on each wire, we can configure this mesh-wire coil into a standard loop coil and figure-8 coil of varying size. This provides maximum flexibility to the experimenter in that the location and extent of stimulation on the brain surface can be modified depending on experimental requirement. Moreover, one can dynamically and automatically modify the site(s) of stimulation several times within the span of seconds. By pre-storing various sequences of excitation patterns inside a control unit, one can explore the effect of dynamic TMS on behavior and as therapy. The specific objectives are: 1. To develop a prototype dynamic TMS device containing reconfigurable coils. 2. To test the ability of the reconfigurable coils to deliver focused magnetic fields of sufficient strength to selectively excite or inhibit selected brain regions in a phantom model. 3. To assess the safety and failure modes of the system. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We will develop a novel Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator (TMS) coil that can dynamically and automatically modify the site(s) of stimulation several times within the span of seconds.