Interview with Prof. Dr. Anthony Barker

In this exclusive Academy interview series, Prof. Dr. Alexander Sack (Maastricht University / Academy of Brain Stimulation) sits down with the pioneer of magnetic brain stimulation, Prof. Dr. Anthony Barker from the University of Sheffield, who led the team that demonstrated the first successful human transcranial magnetic stimulation experiment in 1985.

Part 1 – The Invention of TMS: How It All Started

In this opening part, Prof. Sack and Prof. Barker revisit the early 1980s at the University of Sheffield. Prof. Barker recounts the engineering and physiological challenges of generating localized, high-intensity magnetic fields capable of painlessly penetrating the human skull to evoke motor responses.

Part 2 – TMS as an Indispensable Research Tool

In the second part, the discussion explores how TMS rapidly evolved from an experimental curiosity into a foundational tool for human cognitive neuroscience. They examine how researchers worldwide adopted single-pulse and paired-pulse TMS to investigate cortical excitability, chronometry, and causal brain-behavior relationships.

Part 3 – TMS as a Non-Pharmacological Treatment Alternative

In the final part, Prof. Barker and Prof. Sack examine the therapeutic translation of repetitive TMS (rTMS) into clinical neuropsychiatry. They discuss the paradigm shift toward circuit-based, non-pharmacological neuromodulation for treatment-resistant depression, OCD, and neurological rehabilitation.

Disclaimer & Professional Scope

Importantly, completing our or any TMS Certification Courses is not a replacement for a recognized clinical qualification or professional license required to prescribe TMS therapy or to be registered as a healthcare professional within the healthcare sector of a given country.

Our International Clinical TMS Certification does not replace or substitute any national regulations regarding the authorized clinical use of TMS. TMS Certification Courses and accredited CME activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of formal clinical competency licensing beyond institutional scope.