抄録
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is recently assessed as a therapeutic modality for various neuropsychiatric diseases, such as depression and Parkinson's disease. It is thought to have a lasting biological effect analogous to long-term potentiation (LTP) or depression (LTD) at synaptic level, and recent neuroimaging studies in human have shown modification of multiple regions via functional connection to the target. However, there are few studies regarding the effects on neurotransmitter.Dopamine is one of the most important neurotransmitters in the brain and known to play a role in control of movement and reward/emotion system. Recent studies have suggested that it also regulates autonomic system involved in sleep, cardiovascular response or metabolism. These functions are presumably related to activities in mesolimbic DA pathway, which terminates at nucleus accumbens (NAc).We have recently shown the regional effect of rTMS on neuronal activity and DA release revealed by positron emission tomography (PET) in macaque monkey. The motor cortical rTMS have induced long-lasting activity changes not only in motor-related, but also in limbic-related areas, such as orbitofrontal cortex, which is known as a higher center of autonomic system. In addition, motor cortical rTMS induced DA release in ventral striatum including NAc. These findings show rTMS may functionally modify mesolimbic pathway and serve as a therapeutic modality in emotional/autonomic disorders. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S25 (2004)]
