Predicting how short bursts of magnetic brain stimulation change brain connections
Novel electric-field modelling approach to quantify changes in resting state functional connectivity following theta burst stimulation
This project uses a computer model of electric fields to predict how short bursts of magnetic brain stimulation (theta burst TMS) change resting brain connections in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11130945 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, I'll have resting-state MRI scans before and after brief sessions of intermittent or continuous theta burst stimulation (iTBS or cTBS). Researchers will build whole-brain electric-field maps from each person's anatomy to estimate how much current reaches different cortical areas. They will compare those maps to changes in brain connectivity across many volunteers and across multiple doses and patterns. The team aims to validate a general model that links delivered current density to whole-brain connectivity changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are healthy adults without MRI or TMS contraindications who can attend in-person scanning and stimulation visits.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment for depression, OCD, or smoking cessation, or those with metal implants, pacemakers, or seizure disorders, are unlikely to be eligible or to receive direct clinical benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians personalize TMS targets and doses to produce more reliable changes in brain networks relevant to depression, OCD, and smoking cessation.
How similar studies have performed: Small, focused studies and the team's pilot data suggest electric-field estimates can predict connectivity changes locally, but a validated whole-brain, dose- and pattern-general model is novel.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balderston, Nicholas Lee — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Balderston, Nicholas Lee
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.