Outlook on the Potential of nTMS in Neurosurgery
摘要
The purpose of this chapter is to anticipate and motivate the next generation of nTMS applications over the next several years. Recent studies have highlighted the potential for nTMS to develop in two major areas that will benefit neurosurgical patients. First, on the diagnostic frontier, nTMS may be used to map functional organization with respect to motor and language function, as well as other brain functions such as visuospatial and affective processing. Second, on the therapeutic frontier, nTMS may be used both to rehabilitate patients with surgery-related deficits and to optimize patients preoperatively. The treatment protocols for postoperative acquired deficits will likely be similar to those applied post-stroke, which have now accrued substantial evidence. The induction of functional reorganization, so-called prehabilitation, could potentially make highly eloquent tumors safer for resection. Before this application is ready for clinical use, we must answer several proximal research questions.