Biophysical modeling of neural plasticity induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation

Marcus T Wilson; Ben D Fulcher; Park K Fung; P A Robinson; Alex Fornito; Nigel C Rogasch

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2018.03.018

Biophysical modeling of neural plasticity induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation

Clin Neurophysiol. 2018 Jun;129(6):1230-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.03.018. Epub 2018 Apr 5.

Authors

Marcus T Wilson¹, Ben D Fulcher², Park K Fung³, P A Robinson⁴, Alex Fornito⁵, Nigel C Rogasch⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, New Zealand.
² Brain and Mental Health Research Hub, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Australia; School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia; Center for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, Australia.
³ Department of Ophthalmology, Downstate Medical Center, State University of New York, USA.
⁴ School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia; Center for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, Australia.
⁵ Brain and Mental Health Research Hub, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Australia; Center for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Australia.
⁶ Brain and Mental Health Research Hub, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Monash University, Australia. Electronic address: nigel.rogasch@monash.edu.

PMID: 29674089
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.03.018

Abstract

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a widely used noninvasive brain stimulation method capable of inducing plastic reorganisation of cortical circuits in humans. Changes in neural activity following TMS are often attributed to synaptic plasticity via process of long-term potentiation and depression (LTP/LTD). However, the precise way in which synaptic processes such as LTP/LTD modulate the activity of large populations of neurons, as stimulated en masse by TMS, are unclear. The recent development of biophysical models, which incorporate the physiological properties of TMS-induced plasticity mathematically, provide an excellent framework for reconciling synaptic and macroscopic plasticity. This article overviews the TMS paradigms used to induce plasticity, and their limitations. It then describes the development of biophysically-based numerical models of the mechanisms underlying LTP/LTD on population-level neuronal activity, and the application of these models to TMS plasticity paradigms, including theta burst and paired associative stimulation. Finally, it outlines how modeling can complement experimental work to improve mechanistic understandings and optimize outcomes of TMS-induced plasticity.

Keywords: Biophysical modeling; Paired associative stimulation; Plasticity; Theta burst stimulation; Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Evoked Potentials, Motor / physiology*
Humans
Models, Neurological*
Motor Cortex / physiology*
Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation