transcranial magnetic stimulation

noun

trans·cra·ni·al magnetic stimulation | \ ˌtran(t)s-ˈkrā-nē-əl-

, ˌtranz- \

Definition of transcranial magnetic stimulation

: a noninvasive technique for stimulating brain neurons that uses an insulated electromagnetic coil placed superficially on the skull to produce magnetic fields which penetrate cranial tissue and generate electric currents in specific areas of the brain —abbreviation TMS

Note: Transcranial magnetic stimulation is used especially to test and localize brain functions and to treat depression and some forms of pain.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, which has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for depression, targets neurons in areas of the brain involved in mood by placing a magnetic coil on the head.— Sarah Baldauf Now a small but growing number of researchers see hope in a tool called transcranial magnetic stimulation, which lets scientists spark activity in specific areas of the brain and watch what happens to patients' behavior.— Carolyn Y. Johnson

Examples of transcranial magnetic stimulation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other research subjects are receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation, in which current is delivered through a device held to the outside of the head. — Caleb Hellerman, CNN, 15 Feb. 2022 Using either high- or low-frequency energy waves, the technique can reach brain structures much deeper than those accessible by transcranial magnetic stimulation. — Caleb Hellerman, CNN, 15 Feb. 2022 And in 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved a transcranial magnetic stimulation device to help patients quit smoking, a milestone for substance use disorders. — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 Jan. 2022 More recently, studies have started to focus on writing brain waves to directly insert information to the brain through, for example, transcranial magnetic stimulation. — Rashed Haq, Wired, 20 Jan. 2022 Another study led by VA researchers looked at transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive procedure that uses magnets to stimulate the brain, which has been shown to help treatment-resistant depression. — Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Sep. 2021 Several noninvasive techniques, like transcranial magnetic stimulation, can stimulate people’s brain activity and are being tested as treatments for a range of psychiatric disorders. — New York Times, 25 May 2021 The lack of buy-in isn’t surprising to George, who saw a similar roadblock as a developer of a different form of noninvasive brain stimulation: transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of persistent depression. — Katie Palmer, STAT, 24 Apr. 2021 Kim said that Ryan wound up continuing transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment at Insight Choices. — Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transcranial magnetic stimulation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Transcranial magnetic stimulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transcranial%20magnetic%20stimulation. Accessed 20 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for transcranial magnetic stimulation

transcranial magnetic stimulation

noun

Medical Definition of transcranial magnetic stimulation

: a noninvasive technique for stimulating brain neurons that uses an insulated electromagnetic coil usually placed superficially on the scalp to produce magnetic fields which generate electric currents in specific areas of the brain

Note: Transcranial magnetic stimulation is used especially to measure and map brain functions and to treat depression and neuropathic pain.

Now a small but growing number of researchers see hope in a tool called transcranial magnetic stimulation, which lets scientists spark activity in specific areas of the brain and watch what happens to patients' behavior.— Carolyn Y. Johnson, The Boston Globe After a suicide attempt in 2009, she tried something radically different: transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, a treatment in which magnetic pulses are used to stimulate parts of the brain believed to be involved in mood regulation.— Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times —abbreviation TMS