Dal introduces clinicians, scientists and students to TMS technology new to Atlantic Canada
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive method using technology that can map the brain and alter or create brain activity. Having the ability to stimulate the brain is important for a number of both clinical and scientific reasons. Dalhousie University's Laboratory for Brain Recovery and Function has recently acquired the TMS technology and is conducting a two-day workshop intended to familiarize clinicians, scientists and students with the equipment and method. The workshop takes place Saturday, August 11th and Sunday, August 12th in the Forrest and Tupper buildings on Dal's Carleton Campus. Media are invited to attend at their convenience. For more information on specific locations, speakers and the schedule, please see the contact information below.
Key Points:
Being able to stimulate the brain allows researchers and clinicians to see if parts of the brain and the wires that connect those parts to the rest of the body are working properly.
Using certain kinds of stimulation, clinicians and researchers can 'turn-off' parts of the brain for a very short time, allowing them to see what different parts of the brain are responsible for and what might happen if there was real damage to that part.
Stimulation also lets clinicians and researchers 'turn-up' or 'turn-down' activity in the brain, which can be used as a treatment for a number of different neurological and psychiatric conditions that can affect the brain.
TMS therapy is FDA-approved as a potential treatment for major depression, as it can stimulate the part of the brain that controls mood, which activates the release of neurotransmitters that are associated with positive thoughts and well-being.
Speakers who will be participating in the workshop come from a diverse range of backgrounds including: physiotherapy and rehabilitation; neurophysiology; biomedical engineering; and psychiatry.
Pull Quotes:
"It’s a very flexible tool that appeals across a broad range of people with different areas of expertise. We can use it for basic science and research application in addition to the direct treatment of patients." -- Shaun Boe, Laboratory for Brain Recovery and Function, School of Physiotherapy.
"TMS is on its way to becoming a really established tool in basic and applied neuroscience applications. It’s important to make sure we’re on the forefront of its use. It’s new technology here in Atlantic Canada and we need to make sure clinicians and researchers interested in TMS are familiar with it and up-to-date." -- Shaun Boe, Laboratory for Brain Recovery and Function, School of Physiotherapy.
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Dalhousie Links:
Contacts:
- Shaun Boe, Laboratory for Brain Recovery and Function, 902.223.8892, s.boe@dal.ca
- Nikki Comeau, Communications Officer, 902.494-4189, nikki.comeau@dal.ca
