The history of motor evoked potentials by using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Pioneers and continuators

The history of development of transcranial magnetic simulation (TMS) as a method to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEP) is described. This history, in a chronological order, was shown by presenting most important persons who participated in discovering the relevant rules of physics, inventors, constructors, and finally physicians who adapted the mentioned method and technical devices for investigation in research and hospital laboratories. The factors which motivated those people and the knowledge they left behind served as an illustration of a continuous progress in the relevant biological sciences that culminated in the development of this special method for everyday use in clinical and research practice. Among the data on the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction and technical specifications of stimulators and coils, those which play a practical role in designing research projects and laboratory procedure patterns were specified. The advantages and limitations of the method were summarized. To illustrate the history of utilizing this approach during the last 35 years, and to illustrate some examples of applying the method in clinical neurophysiology, it was necessary to recall authors' experience. The phenomena and characteristics of MEPs evoked by TMS in healthy subjects and in patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, hysterical paresis and multiple sclerosis were presented in brief. Some but not all of these results were presented or published before.