- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) : Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) refers to a technique that temporarily disrupts the normal activity of the brain in a limited area. This technique requires placing a coil on a person''s head and then allowing an electrical current to pass though it. The current generates a magnetic field. This field disrupts the small area, usually no more than a cubic centimeter beneath it. The researcher can then look at cognitive functioning when the particular area is disrupted Moreover, it is the application of an intense magnetic field to a portion of the scalp to influence the neurons below the magnet