Contralateral neglect induced by right posterior parietal rTMS in healthy subjects

We applied repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in order to induce interference on visuo-spatial perception in 11 healthy subjects. Sub jects performed a visuo-spatial task requiring judgements about the symmetr y of prebisected lines. Visual stimuli consisted of symmetrically or asymme trically transected lines, tachystoscopically presented for 50 ms on a comp uter-monitor. Performance was examined in basal condition and during rTMS t rains of 10 stimuli at 25 Hz, delivered through a focal coil over right or left posterior parietal cortex (P5 and P6 sites) and triggered synchronousl y with visual stimulus. Randomly intermixed sham rTMS trains were employed to control for non-specific effects. Right parietal rTMS induced a signific ant rightward bias in symmetry judgements as compared with basal and sham r TMS conditions. No differences emerged between other conditions. NeuroRepor t 11:1519-1521 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.