Repetitive TMS temporarily alters brain diffusion

The authors investigated whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 1 Hz (12 minutes; 90% of motor threshold) to the primary motor cortex (M1) leads to changes in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). After the rTMS train, there was a temporary small restriction in diffusion within the targeted left M1 that disappeared after 5 minutes. These findings provide a physiologic correlate to the reported behavioral consequences of off-line 1-Hz rTMS and reveal the transitory nature of the effects.