Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Laboratory
Responsible: Ivan Padron Gonzalez
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that uses electromagnetic fields to alter brain activity. Initially developed as a diagnostic technique to measure the excitability and connectivity of nerve tissue and to map brain functions, TMS, thanks to its ability to modulate brain tissue excitability, appears to have an important role in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions. In recent years, TMS has been proposed as a potential treatment option for patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders in which the cerebral cortex is clearly involved.
Our ECNI Laboratory is equipped with a Magstim Rapid 2 device with a 70 mm butterfly coil capable of precisely stimulating cortical areas and a Brainsight brand neuronavigation device.
Electroencephalography (EEG) Laboratory
Responsible: Enrique García Marco
Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings allow the measurement of cortical electrical activity associated with the electrochemical processes that characterize communication between neurons. When a group of neurons aligned in the same direction fire together, they generate an electrical current that travels through the brain, skull, and scalp to the outside world. EEG refers to the graphical representation of the voltage changes generated by these electrical currents from the surface of the head.
Our EEG lab has two fully functional systems with Neuroscan Synamps2 amplifiers, each installed in a separate room. Both systems use 70-channel elastic Quick-Caps sensors. We use stimulus presentation software to collect behavioral data, including E-prime, Presentation, and Psychopy. Scan Acquire software is used for EEG recording setup. Data is preprocessed and analyzed using toolboxes such as Cartool, Fieldtrip, Brainstorm, and custom-developed scripts.
Among the various physiologically significant measures that can be obtained from an EEG recording, Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) are perhaps the best known in cognitive neuroscience. The waveform resulting from the average of several stimulus presentations that share some property (e.g., belong to the same experimental condition) exhibits several visually identifiable characteristics (positive and negative peaks or deflections) that have been associated with more or less specific cognitive processes.
Eye Movement Laboratory
(Eye Tracking)
Responsible: Andrés Fernández Martín
Eye tracking is a device that measures the position and movement of the eyes. It is used in visual system research, psychology, cognitive linguistics, and product design.
Eye-tracking data is collected using a remote or head-mounted eye tracker connected to a computer. Non-intrusive eye trackers typically include two common components: a light source and a camera. The light source (usually infrared) is directed toward the eye. The camera tracks the reflection from the light source along with visible eye features, such as the pupil.
This data is used to extrapolate eye rotation and gaze direction. The eye tracker also detects additional information, such as blink rate and changes in pupil diameter.
The IUNE Eye Tracking Laboratory is currently equipped with four SMI Instruments systems.
SEGAI General Research Support Service of the University of La Laguna
Those responsible: Francisco Marcano Serrano y Cristian Davis Modroño Pascual
The Research Magnetic Resonance Imaging Service comprises a wide range of techniques for magnetic resonance imaging of both human and animal organisms. These include functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging, in vitro and in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and cortical bioelectrical activity monitoring.
- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
- RIS
- MR Spectrocopy
- MRI
- Dor Navigation