Data from: Neural effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation at the single-cell level

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can non-invasively modulate neural
activity in humans. Despite three decades of research, the spatial extent
of the cortical area activated by TMS is still controversial. Moreover,
how TMS interacts with task-related activity during motor behavior is
unknown. Here, we applied single-pulse TMS over macaque parietal cortex
while recording single-unit activity at various distances from the center
of stimulation during grasping. The spatial extent of TMS-induced
activation is remarkably restricted, affecting the spiking activity of
single neurons in an area of cortex measuring less than 2 mm in diameter.
In task-related neurons, TMS evokes a transient excitation followed by
reduced activity, paralleled by a significantly longer grasping time.
Furthermore, TMS-induced activity and task-related activity do not summate
in single neurons. These results furnish crucial experimental evidence for
the neural effects of TMS at the single-cell level and uncover the neural
underpinnings of behavioral effects of TMS.