Combined magnetic stimulation and MRI tool to map and target brain circuits
Hybrid TMS/MRI system for regionally tailored causal mapping of human cortical circuits and connectivity
This project builds a new device that combines magnetic brain stimulation with high-resolution MRI to map and precisely target brain circuits in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11334354 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing a helmet-like coil array (ARES2) that can both stimulate small areas of the cortex using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and take very detailed MRI images at the same time. The device uses many small coils to steer stimulation to different spots either one at a time or together, while also boosting MRI signals that show fine-scale brain structure and activity. Early work will test a 3-channel prototype and measure how well the system images changes in neurons and dendrites after stimulation. The team aims for sub-millimeter fMRI and stronger diffusion MRI sensitivity to better link where stimulation is applied with how brain circuits respond.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with neurological or psychiatric conditions who might benefit from or be eligible for brain-stimulation research, as well as healthy volunteers for mapping studies.
Not a fit: People looking for an immediate treatment outcome or those whose conditions do not involve cortical circuit targets may not gain direct personal benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors pinpoint and personalize brain stimulation therapies and improve understanding of brain-circuit changes in neurological and psychiatric conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have combined TMS with MRI and shown feasibility, but this multi-coil, high-resolution approach is newer and less tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stockmann, Jason P — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stockmann, Jason P
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.