Restraint devices for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in mice and rats

INTRODUCTION: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been widely used for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Rodent animals including mice and rats are often used to investigate the potential cellular and molecular mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. So far there is no report about an easy‐to‐use device to restrain rodent animals for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We introduced the design and use of the restraint device for mice or rats. In the mouse device, western blot and real‐time PCR analysis showed that，in stimulated mouse frontal cortex, 10 Hz high frequency stimulation for 10 sessions resulted in enhanced expression of NR2B‐containing N‐methyl‐D‐aspartic acid receptors and reduced α1 subunit of inhibitory GABA(A) receptors, whereas 0.5 Hz low frequency stimulation for 10 sessions caused decreased expression of NR2B subunit and increased α1 subunit of GABA(A) receptors. In the rat device, measures of motor evoke potentials indicated that 10 Hz stimulation for 10 sessions increased the excitability of stimulated cortex, whereas 0.5 Hz for 10 sessions reduced it. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested the effectiveness of the devices. Thus, the two devices are practical and easy‐to‐use to investigate the mechanisms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.