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Here, a protocol is presented for nrTMS SCM, which enables practically complete cortical noninvasive mapping of the most important hubs of the speech and language network. Its main advantage is that it can non-invasively simulate the DCS mapping during awake craniotomy30 or extraoperatively29 (see Figure 2). Moreover, it can be applied to language cortical network studies in healthy populations31 and in patients with diseases that are not amenable to surgery32. nrTMS for SCM may also be applied to develop neurorehabilitation strategies such as target selection (e.g., after stroke). The induction of plasticity in speech-related cortical representations by DCS prior to surgery has been studied33 to increase the extent of resection34. The possibilities of nrTMS SCM in such studies should be examined.
In the present results, a relatively large area, including classical speech-related areas and the pre-SMA, was repeatedly stimulated at three different PTIs. Each PTI showed different sensitivity and specificity to errors, but also demonstrated the well-known response variability in non-invasive brain stimulations35. Most errors were induced by the stimulation of the IFG, STG, pre-SMA, and along the frontal aslant tract36. This highlights the power of nrTMS SCM; specifically, in comparison to DCS, the stimulation can be quite flexibly targeted to several areas. We have observed that changing the PTI and recording many sessions does not clearly speed up the reaction times26,29, which would be associated with a learning effect.
The protocol highlights different parameters that can affect the accuracy of nrTMS SCM. The results can be sensitive to the choices made by the TMS operator; the present paper aims to provide a standard guideline with well-tested stimulation parameters. High specificity results from an appropriate choice of several different parameters, including the ISI, PTI, coil location, and rTMS frequency. These parameters affect the specificity of the induced errors, which reflect the functions in the underlying cortical areas; the parameter selection needs to be based on current knowledge on the neurobiology of language.
The images for the naming task should be selected so that they do not induce erroneous naming by themselves (Supplementary Figure 1). Here, the images were chosen from a standardized image bank and controlled for various naming parameters25,37. For example, the pool of images was restricted to items with similar complexity and frequency in everyday use, as well as high name agreement. The choice of images can vary based on the needs of each surgical center38, the population under investigation39, the native language of the tested subject40,41 and the used task42. As presented in the protocol, the baseline image selection is finally individualized for each subject, as on-spot naming is subjective.
The stimulation frequency needs to be defined individually, because it may determine the distribution of errors during navigated transcranial magnetic brain stimulation43. The presented choice, 4-8 Hz, is based on the rTMS work by Epstein et al.44. The initial stimulation frequency is set to 5 Hz. If no errors are detected, the stimulation frequency is increased to 7 Hz. Higher frequencies may reduce nrTMS-induced pain and increase the specificity of naming errors45. Higher frequencies also have the advantage of limiting the pulses to a short and more specific time interval. They may, however, affect functions related to, for example, speech motor execution44,46, which are not the main target of the present protocol.
It is recommended to vary the PTI between 150-400 ms. This is an important time window for word retrieval during the object naming task28,47. The protocol aims at speech specificity by avoiding the interference of basic visual processing, which occurs during the first 150 ms after image presentation and may affect object naming but is unrelated to speech production. The recommended upper limit for the PTI is based on typical response latencies in picture naming in the same subject28,48, and individual variation in the optimal values between subjects can be expected (see Figure 1). The PTI selection should ideally be based on personalized measures, although this may be logistically demanding in a clinical setting. Helsinki University Hospital protocols usually start with a 300 ms PTI. It may also be useful to change the PTI based on the stimulated area12,13,49, as indicated by several language studies28,47,50. Nevertheless, PTIs outside the above-mentioned window may also induce naming errors that are useful for presurgical evaluation (for a comparative study, see Krieg et al.49 using PTIs of 0-300 ms).
The cortical speech network is widespread and varies among individuals, particularly in patients with tumors and epilepsy29,30,39. nrTMS induces language disturbance with great variability across individuals, analogous to those observed during awake craniotomy stimulations27,51. The information obtained from fMRI50, DTI52,53,54, and MEG55 can direct the nTMS user and result in a procedure that is tailored for each individual and is, thus, more specific and accurate. The objective in nrTMS SCM is to increase the specificity, reduce the number of non-responders, guide the DCS reliably, or replace it when the resources and conditions do not allow a team of highly specialized experts to perform it. In the future, multilocus TMS (mTMS) could be applied in the procedure to stimulate different parts of the cortex without physically moving the stimulation coil56.
The present protocol can be performed with several types of naming tasks42,57 or other cognitive tasks (calculations, decision making, etc.)58. The video recording can disclose crucial features of the task performance (e.g., grimaces by the subject indicating that no motor speech arrest is induced) that can go unobserved during the stimulation. The setup also allows for asking the subject about the nrTMS-induced experiences and sensations by jointly viewing the video recording. This can help in distinguishing pain-induced errors from the true effects of nrTMS. Finally, the protocol can be easily modified to different subject groups (e.g., bilingual individuals31) and to serve the needs of each surgical or research team.