PMID- 24529836 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20150508 LR - 20191210 IS - 1876-4754 (Electronic) IS - 1876-4754 (Linking) VI - 7 IP - 2 DP - 2014 Mar-Apr TI - Safety and characterization of a novel multi-channel TMS stimulator. PG - 194-205 LID - S1935-861X(13)00286-6 [pii] LID - 10.1016/j.brs.2013.09.004 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND: Currently available TMS stimulators have a single channel operating a single coil. OBJECTIVE: To outline and present physical and physiological benefits of a novel convenient multi-channel stimulator, comprising five channels, where the stimulation parameters of each channel are independently controllable. METHODS: Simultaneous and sequential operation of various channels was tested in healthy volunteers. Paired pulses schemes with various inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs) were studied for the hand APB and the leg AH muscles. Energy consumption and coil heating rates with simultaneous operation of 4 channels was compared to a single figure-8 coil. RESULTS: Repetitive operation of separate channels with different stimulation parameters is demonstrated. The operations of various channels can be combined simultaneously or sequentially to induce multiple pulses with ISIs of mus resolution. A universal pattern of inhibition and facilitation as a function of ISI was found, with some dependence on coils configurations and on pulse widths. A strong dependence of the induced inhibition on the relative orientation of the conditioning and test pulses was discovered. The ability of this method to induce inhibition in shallow brain region but not in deeper region, thus focusing the effect in the deep brain region, is demonstrated. A significant saving in energy consumption and a reduction in coil heating were demonstrated for several channels operated simultaneously compared to a standard single channel figure-8 coil. CONCLUSIONS: The multi-channel stimulator enables the synchronized induction of different excitability modulations to different brain regions using different stimulation patterns in various channels. Multiple pulses operation with coils with various depth profiles can increase the focality of TMS effect in deep brain regions. CI - Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FAU - Roth, Yiftach AU - Roth Y AD - Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Brainsway Ltd, Israel. FAU - Levkovitz, Yechiel AU - Levkovitz Y AD - The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Care Center, Hod-Hasharon, Israel(1); Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. FAU - Pell, Gaby S AU - Pell GS AD - Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Brainsway Ltd, Israel. FAU - Ankry, Moria AU - Ankry M AD - Brainsway Ltd, Israel. FAU - Zangen, Abraham AU - Zangen A AD - Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Brainsway Ltd, Israel. Electronic address: azangen@bgu.ac.il. LA - eng PT - Evaluation Study PT - Journal Article DEP - 20131210 PL - United States TA - Brain Stimul JT - Brain stimulation JID - 101465726 SB - IM MH - Adult MH - Brain/*physiology MH - *Equipment Safety MH - Female MH - Humans MH - Male MH - Muscle, Skeletal/*physiology MH - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/*instrumentation/methods OTO - NOTNLM OT - Multi-channel OT - Sequential OT - Simultaneous OT - Stimulator OT - Transcranial magnetic stimulation EDAT- 2014/02/18 06:00 MHDA- 2015/05/09 06:00 CRDT- 2014/02/18 06:00 PHST- 2013/05/09 00:00 [received] PHST- 2013/09/15 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2013/09/16 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2014/02/18 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2014/02/18 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2015/05/09 06:00 [medline] AID - S1935-861X(13)00286-6 [pii] AID - 10.1016/j.brs.2013.09.004 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Brain Stimul. 2014 Mar-Apr;7(2):194-205. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2013.09.004. Epub 2013 Dec 10.