Explore the Frontiers of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation
This school offers a comprehensive programme dedicated to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and related non-invasive techniques. Over the course of four days, participants will be introduced to the fundamental principles, current applications in cognitive neuroscience and clinical practice, as well as advanced methods in modelling and data analysis. Designed for researchers and clinicians, the programme provides a unique opportunity to engage with experts in the field, expand methodological expertise, and foster collaborative discussions on the future of brain stimulation research.
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Day 1: Basics on Non-Invasive Stimulation
The first day lays the foundation for the entire programme, introducing participants to the principles of non-invasive brain stimulation, with a special focus on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Sessions will cover core concepts, mechanisms of action, safety guidelines, and methodological considerations—equipping attendees with the knowledge needed to engage with more advanced applications in the following days.
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Day 2: Applications in Cognitive Neuroscience
Day two explores how non-invasive stimulation techniques can deepen our understanding of cognition and behaviour. Through lectures and case studies, participants will discover how TMS and related approaches are used to probe brain circuits underlying perception, memory, decision-making, motor control, and more. This day bridges theory with experimentation, showcasing the contribution of brain stimulation to cognitive neuroscience research.
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Day 3: Applications in Clinical Practice
On the third day, the focus shifts toward clinical translation. Experts will present the current and emerging uses of TMS in neurology and psychiatry, including applications in depression, stroke rehabilitation, movement disorders, and beyond. Participants will gain valuable insights into how non-invasive stimulation is moving from the lab into real-world therapeutic contexts.
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Day 4: From Modeling to Analysis
The final day emphasises the tools and methodologies that maximise the potential of brain stimulation research. Sessions will address modelling of stimulation effects, advanced analysis techniques, and strategies for integrating multimodal data. This forward-looking programme provides participants with the skills to design rigorous experiments and interpret complex datasets, setting the stage for impactful research.
Lecturers
Workshop Instructors
Carlos Muriel Nieto Doval
Milana Makarova
Aleksandra Pleskovskaya
During the hands-on sessions, participants will practice:
- Fundamentals of TMS: learning the core principles of how transcranial magnetic stimulation works, with emphasis on international safety standards, accurate head registration, and procedures for determining the individual motor threshold.
- Combined TES and TMS protocols: applying transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) alongside TMS to investigate cortical excitability and interactions between different stimulation techniques.
- TMS–EEG methods: setting up simultaneous TMS and EEG recordings, handling stimulation-related artifacts, and exploring how brain responses to TMS can be measured in real time.
Educational Programme Schedule
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Monday, November 10
- 9:30 am–10 am: Registration
- 10 am–10:30 am: Welcome speech & introduction - A. Shestakova, M. Feurra (HSE)
- 10:30 am–11:30 am: Mapping the motor system using TMS: what questions may we ask? - M. Nazarova
- 11:30 am–12:00 pm: Coffee break
- 12:00 pm–1:00 pm: Transcranial alternating current stimulation of the human motor system - M. Feurra (HSE)
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1:00 pm–1:30 pm: Myths and misbeliefs about TMS - A. Vyazmin (HSE)
- 1:30 pm–2:30 pm: Lunch
- 2:30 pm–6 pm: Practical sessions (TMS basics) - A. Vyazmin, A. Pleskovskaya
Tuesday, November 11
- 10:00 am–11:00 am: Gait reconstruction using closed-loop TES - T. Mima (Ritsumeikan University)
- 11 am–11:30 am: TMS/TES application in social neuroscience - O. Zinchenko (HSE)
- 11:30 am–12 pm: Coffee break
- 12 pm–1 pm: Non invasive brain stimulation for investigation of short and long-term memory - M. Feurra (HSE)
- 1 pm–2 pm: Lunch
- 2 pm–2:30 pm: Using TMS to study the neural mechanisms of decision making - K. Panidi (HSE)
- 2:30 pm–3 pm: Evolution of approaches to stimulation target selection: personalized targeting using neuroimaging data - D. Sinitsyn (RCNN)
- 3 pm–3:30 pm: Non invasive brain stimulation for language research and rehabilitation - S. Malyutina (HSE)
- 3:30 pm–6 pm: Practical sessions (TMS-TES) - M. Feurra, A. Pleskovskaya
Wednesday, November 12
- 10 am–11 am: Interference in the work of the brain - E. Blagoveshchensky (HSE)
- 11 am–11:30 am: TMS as diagnostic tool - E. Blagoveshchensky (HSE)
- 11:30 am–12 pm: Coffee break
- 12 pm–1 pm: Beyond the obvious – unraveling complexities in electrophysiological data - V. Nikulin (HSE)
- 1 pm–2 pm: Lunch
- 2 pm–3 pm: TMS for diagnostics - I. Bakulin (RCNN)
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3 pm–3:30 pm: TMS in treatment of pain syndromes - A.Zabirova (RCNN)
- 3:30 pm–4 pm: Personalized TMS treatment for depression: the role of EEG-guide approaches - S. Tugin (Sirius University)
- 4 pm–5 pm: Insights into Alzheimer’s disease from TMS-evoked cortical and peripheral responses - Dr. Bertazzoli (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston MA, USA Harvard Medical School)
- 5 pm–6 pm: TLNS: Mechanisms of action - Y. Danilov (Tactile communication and Neurorehabilitation laboratory, University of Wisconsin; Advanced Neurorehabilitation, LLC; "REHALINE", Moscow)
Thursday, November 13
- 10 am–11:30 am: Practical sessions (TMS-EEG) - E. Blagoveshchensky, A. Batov
- 11:30 am–12 pm: Coffee break
- 12 pm–1 pm: Practical sessions (TMS-EEG) - E. Blagoveshchensky, A. Batov
- 1 pm–2 pm: Lunch
- 2 pm–2:30 pm: Higher-order interactions in brain networks: representations, methodologies, and applications - S. Kurkin (IKBFU)
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2:30 pm–3 pm: Processing and analysis of MEPs - G. Perevoznyuk (HSE)
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3 pm–3:30 pm: TES stimulation modelling with neuromodulation software SIMNIBS - C. Nieto (HSE)
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3:30 pm–4:30 pm: Final visit to the labs, Q&A, and open discussion
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4:30 pm–5 pm: Coffee break
Organisers
Carlos Muriel Nieto Doval
Milana Makarova