BOOK REVIEW

Oxford Handbook of TranscranialStimulation

E. Wassermann, C. Epstein, U. Ziemann,

V. Walsh, T. Paus and S. Lisanby (eds),

Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press,

2008, Hardcover, 747 pp., ISBN 978-0-19-

856892-6, Price UK£ 59.95

Since becoming available in 1985, trans-

cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has

emerged as an important tool in various

areas of neurosciences. Originally envi-

sioned as a way to measure the respon-

siveness and conduction speed of neurons

and synapses in the brain and spinal cord,

TMS has become an increasingly impor-

tant tool for changing the activity of

neurons and their functions, and an

important adjunct to brain imaging and

mapping techniques. Along with trans-

cranial electrical stimulation techniques,

TMS has diffused far beyond the borders

of clinical neurophysiology into cognitive,

perceptual, behavioral, and therapeutic

investigation, and has attracted a highly

diverse group of users. The number of

papers about TMS published since 1985

has increased tremendously. The present

book, edited by brain stimulation author-

ities from Canada, Germany, USA and

the UK, and written by a large panel of

international experts, provides an exten-

sive and authoritative review of the sci-

entific and technical background required

to understand transcranial stimulation

techniques and a wide-ranging, up-to-date

survey of their applications in neurophys-

iology, perception, cognition, emotion,

and the clinical neurosciences. Each of its

six sections with 46 chapters deals with a

major area of this complex field of modern

neurosciences. After introductory remarks

about the biophysics and waveform of

TMS, their stimulation design, stimulation

coils, magnetic field stimulation in in vitro

magnetic stimulation of physical models

and peripheral nerves, direct current brain

polarization and intraoperative neuro-

physiological problems are reviewed. Sec-

tion II – TMS measures of motor cortical

and corticospinal excitability- refer to the

size of motor-evoked potentials, the cor-

tical silent period, paired-pulse measures,

evaluation of interactions between cortical

and excitatory circuits, pharmacology of

TMS measures, epidural spinal record-

ings, TMS measures and voluntary motor

function, changes because of repetitive

TMS, neuroplasticity induced by trans-

cranial stimulation, and use-dependent

changes in TMS measures. Section III –

motor-evoked potentials in health and

disease – deals with its role in clinical

diagnosis, TMS in perioperative period, in

movement disorders, neurodevelopment

and perinatal insults, evaluation of psy-

chiatric disorders, migraine, pediatric

neurobehavioral disordes and inter- and

intra-individual variations in response to

TMS. The next section – TMS in percep-

tion and congnition – contains chapters

on TMS and visual awareness, higher

visual cognition, crossmodal functions,

motor cognition, investigation of lan-

guage, memory and reasoning, and

mathematics and TMS. Section V – TMS

and brain mapping – reviews combina-

tions of brain imaging with brain stimu-

lation, TMS and positron emission

tomography, functional magnetic reso-

nance imaging and electroencephalogra-

phy. The last section – therapeutic

application of TMS – deals with thera-

peutic potentials of TMS-induced plastic-

ity of the prefrontal cortex, clinical trial

design for TMS, its role in treatment of

major depression disorder, bipolar disor-

der, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders,

movement disorders, its role in neurore-

habilitation and pain. All chapters are

concise and well written, with initial

summary, informative subheadings, many

tables, figures and essential references.

The book, as the editors emphasize in

their preface, attempts to gather the

divergent strands of this field in one place

and provide a timely overview, as well as

detailed information in each area. It will

be useful not only for current users but

also for current and prospective investi-

gators in order to facilitate future ad-

vances in this exciting and most rewarding

field of modern neurosciences.

K. A. Jellinger

Vienna, Austria

e54� 2009 The Author(s)

Journal compilation � 2009 EFNS

European Journal of Neurology 2009, 16: e54 doi:10.1111/j.1468-1331.2008.02472.x