WE used rapid-rate, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS
) for the noninvasive study of verbal recall. Five right-handed normal
subjects were studied. Recall followed immediately after presentation
of a 12-word list. Focal rTMS was applied with a figure eight coil in
trains of 500 ms duration to F7, F8, T5, T6, P3, P4, or 01, 02 at lat
encies of 0, 250, 500, or 1000 ms during word list presentation. Recal
l was consistently significantly diminished only after left mid-tempor
al and bilateral dorsofrontal rTMS at both 0 and 250 ms latencies. We
conclude that rTMS may be useful as a non-invasive tool for the study
of verbal memory processes.