How can TMS be used in neuroscience laboratories to help increase scientists understanding of the brain?
Despite the many uses of brain imaging technologies such as MRI, they are unable to show causality. That is, they can show which areas of the brain are active in subjects performing tasks, but they cannot show that those areas are necessary to perform a task. The old saying correlation is not causation is quite true here. TMS can be used to selectively and temporarily introduce noise into targeted brain areas. The introduction of these signals will allow scientists to conduct experiments which will enable them to form and test hypotheses regarding the function of specific brain regions. This information, collected from healthy volunteers, will help to develop cures for diseases. It may also help philosophers and ethicists to further understand the nature of intelligence and consciousness.
