Models of cortico-basal ganglia circuits and synaptic plasticity for transcranial magnetic stimulation

Transcranial magnetic simulations (TMS) is an effective tool for studying pathophysiology of dystonia as well as various other movement or cognitive functions of the brain. To study how TMS induces complex neuronal responses and plasticity, we built computational models for primary motor cortex, basal ganglia and synaptic plasticity. Our models have successfully reproduced neuronal responses to TMS, corresponding neural plasticity induced by a number of repetitive TMS protocols and different signal pathways in basal ganglia. With integration of the three models into a unified large-scale model (work in progress), we will be able to provide insights into neuronal mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of TMS and pathophysiology of dystonia.