Trans-Spinal Theta Burst Magnetic Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease and Gait Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Gait disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) can become disabling with disease progression without effective treatment. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of intermittent θ burst trans-spinal magnetic stimulation (TsMS) in PD patients with gait and balance disorders. METHODS: This was a randomized, parallel, double-blind, controlled trial. Active or sham TsMS was applied at third thoracic vertebra with 100% of the trans-spinal motor threshold, during 5 consecutive days. Participants were evaluated at baseline, immediately after last session, 1 and 4 weeks after last session. Primary outcome was Total Timed Up and Go (TUG) values comparing active versus sham phases 1 week after intervention. The secondary outcome measurements consisted of motor, gait and balance scales, and questionnaires for quality of life and cognition. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included, average age 68.5 (6.4) years in active group and 70.3 (6.3) years in sham group. In active group, Total TUG mean baseline was 107.18 (95% CI, 52.1-116.1), and 1 week after stimulation was 93.0 (95% CI, 50.7-135.3); sham group, Total TUG mean baseline was 101.2 (95% CI, 47.1-155.3) and 1 week after stimulation 75.2 (95% CI 34.0-116.4), P = 0.54. Similarly, intervention had no significant effects on secondary outcome measurements. During stimulation period, five patients presented with mild side effects (three in active group and two in sham group). DISCUSSION: TsMS did not significantly improve gait or balance analysis in patients with PD and gait disorders. The protocol was safe and well tolerated. © 2024 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Placebo effect after prefrontal magnetic stimulation in the treatment of resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Many patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) do not achieve satisfactory symptom improvement with conventional treatments. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) in patients with treatment-resistant OCD. This was a double-blind randomized trial involving 30 treatment-resistant OCD outpatients, allocated to have either sham or active high-frequency rTMS (over the rDLPFC) added to their treatment regimens for 6 wk, with 6 wk of follow-up. Active rTMS consisted of 30 applications (figure-of-eight coil; 10 Hz at 110% of motor threshold; 1 session/d; 40 trains/session; 5 s/train; 25-s intertrain interval). At weeks 0, 2, 6, 8, and 12, we applied the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA-14), 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), and 36-item Short-form Health Survey. The primary outcome measure was a positive response (≥ 30% improvement in YBOCS score, together with a 'much improved' or 'very much improved' CGI - Improvement scale rating). One patient in each group showed a positive response (p=1.00). For YBOCS score, there was significant effect of time (F=7.33, p=0.002) but no significant group effect or group×time interaction. In treatment-resistant OCD, active rTMS over the rDLPFC does not appear to be superior to sham rTMS in relieving obsessive-compulsive symptoms, reducing clinical severity, or improving treatment response, although there is evidence of a placebo effect.

A pilot double-blind sham-controlled trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with refractory schizophrenia treated with clozapine.

Schizophrenia is a complex and heterogeneous psychiatric disorder. Auditory verbal hallucinations occur in 50-70% of patients with schizophrenia and are associated with significant distress, decreased quality of life and impaired social functioning. This study aimed to investigate the effects of active compared with sham 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the left temporal-parietal cortex in patients with schizophrenia treated with clozapine. Symptom dimensions that were evaluated included general psychopathology, severity of auditory hallucinations, quality of life and functionality. Seventeen right-handed patients with refractory schizophrenia experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations and treated with clozapine were randomly allocated to receive either active rTMS or sham stimulation. A total of 384 min of rTMS was administered over 20 days using a double-masked, sham-controlled, parallel design. There was a significant reduction in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores in the active group compared with the sham group. There was no significant difference between active and sham rTMS on Quality of Life Scale (QLS), Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS), Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) and functional assessment staging (FAST) scores. Compared with sham stimulation, active rTMS of the left temporoparietal cortex in clozapine-treated patients showed a positive effect on general psychopathology. However, there was no effect on refractory auditory hallucinations. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

Pain relief and functional recovery in patients with complex regional pain syndrome after motor cortex stimulation.

In addition to pain and neurovegetative symptoms, patients with severe forms of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) develop a broad range of symptoms, including sensory disturbances, motor impairment and dystonic posturing. While most patients respond to medical therapy, some are considered refractory and become surgical candidates. To date, the most commonly used surgical procedure for CRPS has been spinal cord stimulation. This therapy often leads to important analgesic effects, but no sensory or motor improvements. We report on 2 patients with pain related to CRPS and severe functional deficits treated with motor cortex stimulation (MCS) who not only had significant analgesic effects, but also improvements in sensory and motor symptoms. In the long term (27 and 36 months after surgery), visual analog scale pain scores were improved by 60-70% as compared to baseline. There was also a significant increase in the range of motion in the joints of the affected limbs and an improvement in allodynia, hyperpathia and hypoesthesia. Positron emission tomography scan in both subjects revealed that MCS influenced regions involved in the circuitry of pain.

Translational Neuroscience in Autism: From Neuropathology to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapies.

The presence of heterotopias, increased regional density of neurons at the gray-white matter junction, and focal cortical dysplasias all suggest an abnormality of neuronal migration in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The abnormality is borne from a dissonance in timing between radial and tangentially migrating neuroblasts to the developing cortical plate. The uncoupling of excitatory and inhibitory cortical cells disturbs the coordinated interactions of neurons within local networks, thus providing abnormal patterns of brainwave activity in the gamma bandwidth. In ASD, gamma oscillation abnormalities and autonomic markers offer measures of therapeutic progress and help in the identification of subgroups.

Sifting the wheat from the chaff? Evidence for the existence of an asymmetric fibromyalgia phenotype.

BACKGROUND: The different phenotypic presentations of fibromyalgia (FM) have been infrequently studied and may have diagnostic and therapeutic implications. The aim of this study was to explore differences between FM patients with classical symmetric (s-FM) presentation and FM patients with marked asymmetric (a-FM) pain. METHODS: We performed two consecutive cross-sectional studies on FM patients and matched healthy volunteers (HV). FM patients were divided into a-FM (and s-FM groups according to their score of pain intensity on each body side; patients with a difference of ≥40 mm in VAS between left and right sides were classified as a-FM, otherwise classified as s-FM. Participants (FM = 32; HV = 31) were assessed for clinical, cortical excitability (CE), quantitative sensory testing (QST; study 1), and intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) determinations (study 2). RESULTS: While pain intensity did not significantly differ between s-FM and a-FM patients, pain interference in daily activities was significantly higher in the a-FM as compared to the s-FM group (54.7 ± 8.9 and 37.6 ± 13.5; p < .0001). PPT was significantly lower in the more painful side of a-FM as compared to the HV (27.7 ± 7.9 and 49.9 ± 13.0; p < .0001), while PPT in the less painful side of a-FM was significantly higher than PPT values in the s-FM (35.8 ± 8.3 and 27.7 ± 5.5; p = .031). S-FM and a-FM had significantly abnormal intracortical inhibition values on CE measurements compared to HV. There were no significant differences in IENFD between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within the current FM criteria, there exist different phenotypes with clinical, psychophysics, and neurophysiological findings that are not related to peripheral IENFD abnormalities. SIGNIFICANCE: Current fibromyalgia criteria may contain different phenotypes of fibromyalgia based on the lateralization of pain.

Depression in Parkinson's disease: convergence from voxel-based morphometry and functional magnetic resonance imaging in the limbic thalamus.

Depression is the most frequent psychiatric disorder in Parkinson's disease (PD). Although evidence suggests that depression in PD is related to the degenerative process that underlies the disease, further studies are necessary to better understand the neural basis of depression in this population of patients. In order to investigate neuronal alterations underlying the depression in PD, we studied thirty-six patients with idiopathic PD. Twenty of these patients had the diagnosis of major depression disorder and sixteen did not. The two groups were matched for PD motor severity according to Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). First we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using an event-related parametric emotional perception paradigm with test retest design. Our results showed decreased activation in the left mediodorsal (MD) thalamus and in medial prefrontal cortex in PD patients with depression compared to those without depression. Based upon these results and the increased neuron count in MD thalamus found in previous studies, we conducted a region of interest (ROI) guided voxel-based morphometry (VBM) study comparing the thalamic volume. Our results showed an increased volume in mediodorsal thalamic nuclei bilaterally. Converging morphological changes and functional emotional processing in mediodorsal thalamus highlight the importance of limbic thalamus in PD depression. In addition this data supports the link between neurodegenerative alterations and mood regulation.

Insular and anterior cingulate cortex deep stimulation for central neuropathic pain: Disassembling the percept of pain.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the analgesic effects of stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) or the posterior superior insula (PSI) against sham deep (d) repetitive (r) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with central neuropathic pain (CNP) after stroke or spinal cord injury in a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled, 3-arm parallel study. METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated into the active PSI-rTMS, ACC-rTMS, sham-PSI-rTMS, or sham-ACC-rTMS arms. Stimulations were performed for 12 weeks, and a comprehensive clinical and pain assessment, psychophysics, and cortical excitability measurements were performed at baseline and during treatment. The main outcome of the study was pain intensity (numeric rating scale [NRS]) after the last stimulation session. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients (age 55.02 ± 12.13 years) completed the study. NRS score was not significantly different between groups at the end of the study. Active rTMS treatments had no significant effects on pain interference with daily activities, pain dimensions, neuropathic pain symptoms, mood, medication use, cortical excitability measurements, or quality of life. Heat pain threshold was significantly increased after treatment in the PSI-dTMS group from baseline (1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-3.06]) compared to sham-dTMS (-1.02, 95% CI -2.10 to 0.04, p = 0.014), and ACC-dTMS caused a significant decrease in anxiety scores (-2.96, 95% CI -4.1 to -1.7]) compared to sham-dTMS (-0.78, 95% CI -1.9 to 0.3; p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: ACC- and PSI-dTMS were not different from sham-dTMS for pain relief in CNP despite a significant antinociceptive effect after insular stimulation and anxiolytic effects of ACC-dTMS. These results showed that the different dimensions of pain can be modulated in humans noninvasively by directly stimulating deeper SNC cortical structures without necessarily affecting clinical pain per se. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01932905.

Latin American and Caribbean consensus on noninvasive central nervous system neuromodulation for chronic pain management (LAC2-NIN-CP).

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain (CP) is highly prevalent and generally undertreated health condition. Noninvasive brain stimulation may contribute to decrease pain intensity and influence other aspects related to CP. OBJECTIVE: To provide consensus-based recommendations for the use of noninvasive brain stimulation in clinical practice. METHODS: Systematic review of the literature searching for randomized clinical trials followed by consensus panel. Recommendations also involved a cost-estimation study. RESULTS: The systematic review wielded 24 transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and 22 repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) studies. The following recommendations were provided: (1) Level A for anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex (M1) in fibromyalgia, and level B for peripheral neuropathic pain, abdominal pain, and migraine; bifrontal (F3/F4) tDCS and M1 high-definition (HD)-tDCS for fibromyalgia; Oz/Cz tDCS for migraine and for secondary benefits such as improvement in quality of life, decrease in anxiety, and increase in pressure pain threshold; (2) level A recommendation for high-frequency (HF) rTMS over M1 for fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain, and level B for myofascial or musculoskeletal pain, complex regional pain syndrome, and migraine; (3) level A recommendation against the use of anodal M1 tDCS for low back pain; and (4) level B recommendation against the use of HF rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the control of pain. CONCLUSION: Transcranial DCS and rTMS are recommended techniques to be used in the control of CP conditions, with low to moderate analgesic effects, and no severe adverse events. These recommendations are based on a systematic review of the literature and a consensus made by experts in the field. Readers should use it as part of the resources available to decision-making.

Treatment of Bipolar Depression with Deep TMS: Results from a Double-Blind, Randomized, Parallel Group, Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Bipolar depression (BD) is a highly prevalent condition with limited therapeutic options. Deep (H1-coil) transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) is a novel TMS modality with established efficacy for unipolar depression. We conducted a randomized sham-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dTMS in treatment-resistant BD patients. Patients received 20 sessions of active or sham dTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (H1-coil, 55 18 Hz 2 s 120% MT trains). The primary outcome was changes in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) from baseline to endpoint (week 4). Secondary outcomes were changes from baseline to the end of the follow-up phase (week 8), and response and remission rates. Safety was assessed using a dTMS adverse effects questionnaire and the Young Mania Rating Scale to assess treatment-emergent mania switch (TEMS). Out of 50 patients, 43 finished the trial. There were 2 and 5 dropouts in the sham and active groups, respectively. Active dTMS was superior to sham at end point (difference favoring dTMS=4.88; 95% CI 0.43 to 9.32, p=0.03) but not at follow-up. There was also a trend for greater response rates in the active (48%) vs sham (24%) groups (OR=2.92; 95% CI=0.87 to 9.78, p=0.08). Remission rates were not statistically different. No TEMS episodes were observed. Deep TMS is a potentially effective and well-tolerated add-on therapy in resistant bipolar depressed patients receiving adequate pharmacotherapy.

[Transcranial magnetic stimulation in neuropsychology: new horizons for brain research]. / Estimulação magnética transcraniana na neuropsicologia: novos horizontes em pesquisa sobre o cérebro.

This review addresses the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation as a research tool of neuropsychological functions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive and painless technique to modulate brain function that can be applied to conscious human beings and is based on a variable magnetic field. Using this technique, it is possible to generate virtual transient lesions in healthy people or modulate the brain activity, increasing or decreasing the activity of the stimulated areas. In this review we discuss studies with transcranial magnetic stimulation in which broad aspects of language, memory and neuropsychological tests have been evaluated following or during the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation. We concluded that transcranial magnetic stimulation open new horizons for brain research in the neuropsychological field as transcranial magnetic stimulation allows the investigation of the relationship between focal cortical activity and behavior therefore contributing to the study of the functional brain activity.

Normative data of cortical excitability measurements obtained by transcranial magnetic stimulation in healthy subjects.

INTRODUCTION: The assessment of cortical excitability (CE) measurements has been increasingly used in neuropsychiatric research. However, there is scant information on the normative values of these measurements, as well as the possible effect of hemisphere laterality, gender and age on these variables. OBJECTIVES: To obtain normative data for CE measurements by transcranial magnetic stimulation, to assess inter-/intra-investigator variability and the influence of sex, age and oral contraception use. METHODS: A sample of 216 healthy volunteers matched according to age and gender was evaluated. Bilateral rest motor thresholds, motor evoked potentials (MEP), intracortical inhibition and facilitation were measured in the first dorsal interosseous muscle area representation of the primary motor cortex with a circular transcranial magnetic stimulation coil delivering biphasic pulses. Normative data were obtained for 200 participants (in a 1:1 male:female ratio) in a balanced proportion between five age groups (18-30; 31-40; 41-50; 51-60; >60 years). Inter/intra-investigator variability was assessed in 20 healthy volunteers in two sessions performed within a 30-minute interval. Measurements were also performed in a subgroup of 16 healthy female volunteers, using oral contraception and during the menstrual phase. RESULTS: Age had a dichotomous effect on CE measurements, providing significantly different normative data for subjects <50 and >50 years old, with smaller MEP's and intracortical inhibition in older individuals. There were no differences between genders or between left and right hemispheres. Also, CE parameters did not significantly differ with use of contraceptive treatment compared to the menstrual phase of the cycle. The inter-/intra-investigator reliability assessment showed some variability that may not be clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Age had a non-linear effect on CE. There were non-significant differences between genders, hemispheres or with use of oral contraceptives. There was good inter-/intra-investigator correlation for rest motor thresholds and motor evoked potentials while intracortical inhibition and facilitation had low correlations but acceptable reliability.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation accelerates the antidepressant effect of amitriptyline in severe depression: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive method to stimulate the cortex, and the treatment of depression is one of its potential therapeutic applications. Three recent meta analyses strongly suggest its benefits in the treatment of depression. The present study investigates whether repetitive TMS (rTMS) accelerates the onset of action and increases the therapeutic effects of amitriptyline. METHODS: Forty-six outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for nonpsychotic depressive episode were randomly assigned to receive rTMS (n = 22) or sham repetitive TMS (sham) (n = 24) during 4 weeks over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in this double-blind controlled trial. All patients were concomitantly taking amitriptyline (mean dose 110 mg/d). The rTMS group received 20 sessions (5 sections per week) of 5 Hz rTMS (120% of motor threshold and 1250 pulses per session). Sham stimulation followed the same schedule, however, using a sham coil. The efficacy variables were the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 items (HAM-D/17), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Tolerability was assessed by clinical examination and a safety screening of TMS side effects. RESULTS: Repetitive TMS had a significantly faster response to amitriptyline. There was a significant decrease in HAM-D/17 scores, already after the first week of treatment (p < .001 compared with baseline and p < .001 compared with sham). The decrease in HAM-D/17 scores in the rTMS group was significantly superior compared with the sham group throughout the study (p < .001 at fourth week). CONCLUSIONS: Repetitive TMS at 5 Hz accelerated the onset of action and augmented the response to amitriptyline.

Evaluation of the factors interfering with drug treatment compliance among Brazilian patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Treatment noncompliance among schizophrenic patients is as high as 50%. In order to rate compliance and assess the most significant differences between compliant and noncompliant patients, a Brazilian population of schizophrenic outpatients was followed for one year. METHODS: Fifty outpatients were selected. Clinical interview, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale--Anchored version (BPRS-A) and an expanded version of the Rating of Medical Influences (ROMI) scale (used to rate patient attitudes toward compliance) were applied at baseline. The BPRS-A was used in the follow-up visits (approximately once a month). Missing two consecutive appointments without explanation or taking less than 75% of the medication (by written family report) was considered noncompliance. RESULTS: Noncompliance was 48% over one year. Patients in the noncompliant group presented initial worsening of psychotic symptoms (p < 0.05) and had been treated for a shorter length of time (p = 0.007). The ROMI scale showed that "perceived day-to-day benefit" was most strongly correlated with compliance, and feeling "distressed by side effects" was most strongly correlated with noncompliance. DISCUSSION: This study evaluates the frequency of noncompliance and the main reasons for complying in a population of schizophrenic outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: Severity of psychopathology was found to correlate with noncompliance (although not necessarily as its cause), as well as with duration of treatment. Noncompliance rates are high and must be taken into account in any treatment program.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Address Mild Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique with potential to improve memory. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which still lacks a specific therapy, is a clinical syndrome associated with increased risk of dementia. This study aims to assess the effects of high-frequency repetitive TMS (HF rTMS) on everyday memory of the elderly with MCI. We conducted a double-blinded randomized sham-controlled trial using rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Thirty-four elderly outpatients meeting Petersen's MCI criteria were randomly assigned to receive 10 sessions of either active TMS or sham, 10 Hz rTMS at 110% of motor threshold, 2,000 pulses per session. Neuropsychological assessment at baseline, after the last session (10th) and at one-month follow-up, was applied. ANOVA on the primary efficacy measure, the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test, revealed a significant group-by-time interaction (p = 0.05), favoring the active group. The improvement was kept after one month. Other neuropsychological tests were heterogeneous. rTMS at 10 Hz enhanced everyday memory in elderly with MCI after 10 sessions. These findings suggest that rTMS might be effective as a therapy for MCI and probably a tool to delay deterioration.

[Transcranial magnetic stimulation: review of accidental seizures]. / Estimulação Magnética Transcraniana: revisão dos casos de convulsões acidentais.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a new technique that has been used for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, specially depression. It uses a magnetic stimulator that generates a magnetic field that is applied over the patient's skull with a coil. Possible seizures may be induced accidentally by TMS. TMS is usually used with sub threshold stimuli and seizures may occur by chance, especially when over the safety parameters. This article reviews the eight cases of undesirable seizures occurred with rTMS The possible mechanisms of seizure induction and the patients profile with a higher risk of convulsion are also described.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left premotor/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex does not have analgesic effect on central poststroke pain.

UNLABELLED: Central poststroke pain (CPSP) is caused by an encephalic vascular lesion of the somatosensory pathways and is commonly refractory to current pharmacologic treatments. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the premotor cortex/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PMC/DLPFC) can change thermal pain threshold toward analgesia in healthy subjects and has analgesic effects in acute postoperative pain as well as in fibromyalgia patients. However, its effect on neuropathic pain and in CPSP, in particular, has not been assessed. The aim of this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of PMC/DLPFC rTMS in CPSP patients. Patients were randomized into 2 groups, active (a-) rTMS and sham (s-) rTMS, and were treated with 10 daily sessions of rTMS over the left PMC/DLPFC (10 Hz, 1,250 pulses/d). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, during the stimulation phase, and at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the last stimulation. The main outcome was pain intensity changes measured by the visual analog scale on the last stimulation day compared to baseline. Interim analysis was scheduled when the first half of the patients completed the study. The study was terminated because of a significant lack of efficacy of the active arm after 21 patients completed the whole treatment and follow-up phases. rTMS of the left PMC/DLPFC did not improve pain in CPSP. PERSPECTIVE: The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of rTMS to the PMC/DLPFC in CPSP patients. An interim analysis showed a consistent lack of analgesic effect, and the study was terminated. rTMS of the PMC/DLPFC is not effective in relieving CPSP.

Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation in preoperative planning for the treatment of motor area cavernous angiomas.

Since the introduction of microscopic techniques, radical surgery for cavernous angiomas has become a recommended treatment option. However, the treatment of motor area cavernous angioma represents a great challenge for the surgical team. Here, we describe an approach guided by frameless neuronavigation and preoperative functional mapping with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), for surgical planning. We used TMS to map the motor cortex and its relationship with the angioma. We achieved complete resection of the lesions in the surgeries, while avoiding areas of motor response identified during the preoperative mapping. We verified the complete control of seizures (Engel class 1A) in the patients with previous refractory epilepsy. Postsurgery, one patient was seizure-free without medication, and two patients required only one medication for seizure control. Thus, navigated TMS appears to be a useful tool, in preoperative planning for cavernous angiomas of the motor area.