Single-Pulse TMS to the Temporo-Occipital and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Evokes Lateralized Long Latency EEG Responses at the Stimulation Site

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Tomasz A. Jarczok - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Friederike Roebruck - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Lena Pokorny - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Lea Biermann - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Veit Roessner - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Christoph Klein - , University of Cologne, University of Freiburg, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Author)
  • Stephan Bender - , University of Cologne (Author)

Abstract

Introduction: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)–evoked potentials (TEPs) allow for probing cortical functions in health and pathology. However, there is uncertainty whether long-latency TMS-evoked potentials reflect functioning of the targeted cortical area. It has been suggested that components such as the TMS-evoked N100 are stereotypical and related to nonspecific sensory processes rather than transcranial effects of the changing magnetic field. In contrast, TEPs that vary according to the targeted brain region and are systematically lateralized toward the stimulated hemisphere can be considered to reflect activity in the stimulated brain region resulting from transcranial electromagnetic induction. Methods: TMS with concurrent 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) was sequentially performed in homologous areas of both hemispheres. One sample of healthy adults received TMS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; another sample received TMS to the temporo-occipital cortex. We analyzed late negative TEP deflections corresponding to the N100 component in motor cortex stimulation. Results: TEP topography varied according to the stimulation target site. Long-latency negative TEP deflections were systematically lateralized (higher in ipsilateral compared to contralateral electrodes) in electrodes over the stimulated brain region. A calculation that removes evoked components that are not systematically lateralized relative to the stimulated hemisphere revealed negative maxima located around the respective target sites. Conclusion: TEPs contain long-latency negative components that are lateralized toward the stimulated hemisphere and have their topographic maxima at the respective stimulation sites. They can be differentiated from co-occurring components that are invariable across different stimulation sites (probably reflecting coactivation of peripheral sensory afferences) according to their spatiotemporal patterns. Lateralized long-latency TEP components located at the stimulation site likely reflect activity evoked in the targeted cortex region by direct transcranial effects and are therefore suitable for assessing cortical functions.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number616667
Journal Frontiers in neuroscience
Volume15
Publication statusPublished - 12 Mar 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, electroencephalography (EEG), lateralized readiness potential (LRP), N100, temporo-occipital cortex, TMS-EEG, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)