Using ‘live’ human brain tissue, this research is the first to investigate the direct effects of repetitive magnetic stimulation on cells in the human brain, bridging the gap between preclinical animal models and human clinical applications.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has been approved as a treatment for numerous neurological disorders. However, it is currently applied using a “one-size-fits-all” approach as the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects and how rTMS effects differ with age remain unknown. Australian Rotary Health/Gail & Bryan PhD Scholarship recipient, Rebecca Ong, investigated how rTMS affects the brain at the molecular level across both young and older brains.

Using mouse models that enabled the investigation of rTMS effects at the gene expression level, Rebecca Ong studied two rTMS protocols that were administered to both young adult and aged mice. Rather than causing uniform changes across the brain, the results showed that rTMS altered gene expression in ways that varied depending on the brain region and stimulation protocol used. Furthermore, in the aged brain, rTMS appeared to induce a narrower range of plasticity mechanisms compared to the young adult brain, thus suggesting ageing reduces the brain’s capacity to change in response to stimulation.

Following this, to see whether similar plasticity mechanisms were being induced by rTMS in the human brain, ‘live’ human brain tissue donated from patients undergoing neurosurgery was used. The results are the first to show rTMS altering the activity of genes linked to brain plasticity directly in human brain cells, and that the effect of stimulation varies between individuals at the molecular level.

Together, the results of the thesis show that rTMS effects on the brain are complex and can vary between brain regions, the protocol applied, and with age. It highlights that a more tailored approach may be needed to better use rTMS treatments for individuals across varying age groups.

Media contact: [email protected]       First published 25th September 2026

Graphic acknowledgement: Magnific.com