TMS Session Research Articles

Characterizing the opioidergic mechanisms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced analgesia: a randomized controlled trial.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising technology to reduce chronic pain. Investigating the mechanisms of rTMS analgesia holds the potential to improve treatment efficacy. Using a double-blind and placebo-controlled design at both stimulation and pharmacologic ends, this study investigated the opioidergic mechanisms of rTMS analgesia by abolishing and recovering analgesia in 2 separate stages across brain regions and TMS doses. A group of 45 healthy participants were equally randomized to the primary motor cortex (M1), the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the Sham group. In each session, participants received an intravenous infusion of naloxone or saline before the first rTMS session. Participants then received a second dose of rTMS session after the drugs were metabolized at 90 minutes. M1-rTMS-induced analgesia was abolished by naloxone compared with saline and was recovered by the second rTMS run when naloxone was metabolized. In the DLPFC, double but not the first TMS session induced significant pain reduction in the saline condition, resulting in less pain compared with the naloxone condition. In addition, TMS over the M1 or DLPFC selectively increased plasma concentrations of β-endorphin or encephalin, respectively. Overall, we present causal evidence that opioidergic mechanisms are involved in both M1-induced and DLPFC-rTMS-induced analgesia; however, these are shaped by rTMS dosage and the release of different endogenous opioids.

TMS-induced inhibition of the left premotor cortex modulates illusory social perception

Communicative actions from one person are used to predict another person's response. However, in some cases, these predictions can outweigh the processing of sensory information and lead to illusory social perception such as seeing two people interact, although only one is present (i.e., seeing a Bayesian ghost). We applied either inhibitory brain stimulation over the left premotor cortex (i.e., real TMS) or sham TMS. Then, participants indicated the presence or absence of a masked agent that followed a communicative or individual gesture of another agent. As expected, participants had more false alarms in the communicative (i.e., Bayesian ghosts) than individual condition in the sham TMS session and this difference between conditions vanished after real TMS. In contrast to our hypothesis, the number of false alarms increased (rather than decreased) after real TMS. These pre-registered findings confirm the significance of the premotor cortex for social action predictions and illusory social perception.

0649 Sex Differences in the Effects of TMS on Depression

Abstract Introduction As part of a larger study to examine the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over a single node of the default mode network (DMN) on sleep quality, we also examined secondary effects on depression. We hypothesized that rTMS would be more effective in females, rather than males, due to previously established higher rates of depression in the female population. Methods We administered continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) rTMS or sham stimulation, in a counterbalanced order separated by at least 5 days, over the left inferior parietal node of the DMN in 20 participants with clinical insomnia, 8 males (Mage=31.6, SD=6.7) and 12 females (Mage=23.8, SD=4.3). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores obtained immediately before and after the stimulation sessions were compared using mixed (condition x time x sex) ANOVA to determine the effectiveness of rTMS in reducing symptoms of depression between the sexes. Results Overall, there was a large effect size (ηp2=0.207, p=0.077) in BDI scores between scores after the sham cTBS TMS session (M=12.47, SD=2.54) and scores after the active cTBS TMS session (M=10.00, SD=2.01). However, when separating for sex, males did not show a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms for the active session compared to the sham session (ηp2=0.08, F(1,6)=19.00, p=0.508). While the treatment did not significantly change depressive symptoms in females, large effect size was observed (ηp2=0.261, F(1,7)=18.06, p=0.16), suggesting potential efficacy of the treatment. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons reveal a greater change in depression symptom scores for active vs sham cTBS TMS in women (M=-4.00, SD=2.00), than men (M=-0.71, SD=1.43). Conclusion An intervention using cTBS rTMS to improve sleep also led to a trend toward reduced depression, that was more evident among women. As reported elsewhere, this treatment significantly improved polysomnographic sleep, and the present preliminary results suggest that it may also be useful for modestly improving depressive mood, but further research will be necessary due to the limited sample size. It is not clear whether the trends toward mood among women was due simply to higher baseline depression scores in that group, but the findings suggest that additional work is warranted. Support (if any) W81XWH2010173

The right VLPFC and downregulation of social pain: A TMS study.

Previous studies have demonstrated that the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (RVLPFC) is crucially involved in downregulating physical and social pain. However, it remains unclear whether the RVLPFC is more specific to either physical or social pain. The present study compares the role of RVLPFC in emotion regulation in physical‐ and social‐pain conditions using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). A total of 60 healthy participants underwent active (n = 30) or sham (n = 30) rTMS over the RVLPFC. Following each TMS session, participants performed a non‐reappraisal and then a reappraisal task to downregulate imagined physical or social pain evoked by pictures. Self‐reported negative emotional ratings and electroencephalogram data were recorded during the emotion regulation task. Participants were then required to rate the valence and arousal of those pictures 30 min after the task. It is found that rTMS‐activated RVLPFC led to reductions in subjective negative feelings and amplitudes of the late positive potential during reappraisal; however, these effects were found exclusively in the social‐pain condition. Participants also reported higher positive valence for socially, compared to physically, painful pictures after 30 min of the task. Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence both supported the functional specificity of RVLPFC in regulation of social pain. The prominent delayed effect of rTMS makes it possible to consider the potential application of rTMS‐VLPFC in clinical practice for social pain relief.

EEG Oscillations Response To Dual-Target rTMS Therapy of Parkinson Disease and Co-Occuring Depression

The approach intended evaluating neurophysiological concomitants of treatment response to dual-target navigated TMS in patients with Parkinson’s disease and co-occuring depression. Patients with PD (n=46) were initially enrolled for a placebo-controlled study and randomly assigned to either an actively treated (rTMS, n = 23) or a sham-stimulation (sTMS, n=23) groups. Every TMS session was performed sequentially over the primary motor cortex (20 min) followed by the DLPFC (20 min). The patients received a total of 20 sessions on 20 consecutive days. For every participant the main outcome measure included the MDS-UPDRS Motor Examination Part (Part 3) scale score, BDI-II and DASS depression scores as well as spectral parameters of the resting EEG (the last ones were available for fewer patients - rTMS, n=15; sTMS, n=16). After the stimulation course the Part 3 scale scores demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement which was larger in the rTMS group (GROUP by TIME: F1,88= 44,06 p<.001). The BDI-2 and DASS scores showed significantly attenuated negative affect for both groups (TIME: BDI-2 - F1,44=4.48, p <.040; DASS - F1,44=15.34, p <.000). According to sLORETA, beneficial treatment response to the TMS course was accounted by selective EEG power increase over the theta, high beta and gamma frequency bands and significantly locked only to the rTMS group. Using source analysis, the generators of this power difference were localized to somatosensory and visual functional networks, as well as to separate nodes of the salience and default mode networks. There was an increased frontal lobe activation (the 9thand 10thBrodman areas). The main EEG power differences were locked to the ranges of 18-30 Hz and 30-45 Hz (sLORETA statistics at p < .05).The findings demonstrate the beneficial effects of the dual-target TMS in PD and hints to some EEG oscillatory signatures as putative predictors of the treatment response.

New ECU Attestation and Encryption Mechanism for In-Vehicle Communication

Aiming at the secure problem of which vehicle ECU’s firmware can be easily tampered with and in-vehicle communication isn’t encrypted, a key pre-distribution system is introduced to propose an ECU attestation and in-Vehicle communication encryption mechanism. It adopts hash algorithm to attestation ECU’s integrity. And it utilizes symmetry encryption algorithm to encrypt the communication. The session keys are produced and distributed by key pre-distribution system which assure each ECU’s session key is unique. Simulation experimental results show this mechanism is low cost and has high calculating speed and high safety. And it can solve the problem of ECU’s firmware tampering, ECU forgery, replay attacks and data betray.

A two-site pilot randomized 3 day trial of high dose left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for suicidal inpatients.

Suicide attempts and completed suicides are common, yet there are no proven acute medication or device treatments for treating a suicidal crisis. Repeated daily left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for 4-6 weeks is a new FDA-approved treatment for acute depression. Some open-label rTMS studies have found rapid reductions in suicidality. This study tests whether a high dose of rTMS to suicidal inpatients is feasible and safe, and also whether this higher dosing might rapidly improve suicidal thinking. This prospective, 2-site, randomized, active sham-controlled (1:1 randomization) design incorporated 9 sessions of rTMS over 3 days as adjunctive to usual inpatient suicidality treatment. The setting was two inpatient military hospital wards (one VA, the other DOD). Research staff screened approximately 377 inpatients, yielding 41 adults admitted for suicidal crisis. Because of the funding source, all patients also had either post-traumatic stress disorder, mild traumatic brain injury, or both. Repetitive TMS (rTMS) was delivered to the left prefrontal cortex with a figure-eight solid core coil at 120% motor threshold, 10 Hertz (Hz), 5 second (s) train duration, 10 s intertrain interval for 30 minutes (6000 pulses) 3 times daily for 3 days (total 9 sessions; 54,000 stimuli). Sham rTMS used a similar coil that contained a metal insert blocking the magnetic field and utilized electrodes on the scalp, which delivered a matched somatosensory sensation. Primary outcomes were the daily change in severity of suicidal thinking as measured by the Beck Scale of Suicidal Ideation (SSI) administered at baseline and then daily, as well as subjective visual analog scale measures before and after each TMS session. Mixed model repeated measures (MMRM) analysis was performed on modified intent to treat (mITT) and completer populations. This intense schedule of rTMS with suicidal inpatients was feasible and safe. Minimal side effects occurred, none differing by arm, and the 3-day retention rate was 88%. No one died of suicide within the 6 month followup. From the mITT analyses, SSI scores declined rapidly over the 3 days for both groups (sham change -15.3 points, active change -15.4 points), with a trend for more rapid decline on the first day with active rTMS (sham change -6.4 points, active -10.7 points, P = 0.12). This decline was more pronounced in the completers subgroup [sham change -5.9 (95% CI: -10.1, -1.7), active -13 points (95% CI: -18.7, -7.4); P = 0.054]. Subjective ratings of 'being bothered by thoughts of suicide' declined non-significantly more with active rTMS than with sham at the end of 9 sessions of treatment in the mITT analysis [sham change -31.9 (95% CI: -41.7, -22.0), active change -42.5 (95% CI: -53.8, -31.2); P = 0.17]. There was a significant decrease in the completers sample [sham change -24.9 (95% CI: -34.4, -15.3), active change -43.8 (95% CI: -57.2, -30.3); P = 0.028]. Delivering high doses of left prefrontal rTMS over three days (54,000 stimuli) to suicidal inpatients is possible and safe, with few side effects and no worsening of suicidal thinking. The suggestions of a rapid anti-suicide effect (day 1 SSI data, Visual Analogue Scale data over the 3 days) need to be tested for replication in a larger sample. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01212848, TMS for suicidal ideation.

Language improvements after TMS plus modified CILT: Pilot, open-protocol study with two, chronic nonfluent aphasia cases.

The purpose of this study was to investigate: 1) the feasibilty of administering a modified CILT (mCILT) treatment session immediately after TMS; and 2) if this combined therapy could improve naming and elicited propositional speech in chronic, nonfluent aphasia. Two chronic stroke patients with nonfluent aphasia (mild-moderate and severe) each received twenty minutes of rTMS to suppress the right pars triangularis, followed immediately by three hours of mCILT (5 days/week, 2 weeks). (Each patient had received TMS alone, 2-6 years prior.) Language evaluations were performed pre- TMS+mCILT, and post- at 1-2 months, and 6 or 16 months. Both patients showed significant improvements in naming pictures, and elicited propositional speech at 1-2 months post- TMS+mCILT. The improved naming was still present at 6 months post- TMS+mCILT for P2; but not at 16 months post- TMS+mCILT for P1. It is feasible to administer mCILT for three hours immediately after a TMS session. It is unknown if the significant improvements in naming pictures, and elicited propositional speech were associated with the second series of TMS, or this first series of mCILT, or a combination of both. A larger, sham controlled clinical trial is warranted.

P 168. TMS neurophysiology and interventional rTMS in children with perinatal stroke: Safety and tolerability in the PLASTIC CHAMPS trial

Perinatal stroke causes hemiplegic cerebral palsy and lifelong disability. TMS can define neurophysiology and central therapeutic targets while rTMS carries therapeutic potential in adult stroke but have not been applied to the more plastic developing brain. Ipsilateral projections from the unlesioned hemisphere to the affected hand are prominent in this population and the effects of non-lesioned inhibitory rTMS are unknown. PLASTIC CHAMPS is a randomized, blinded, factorial clinical trial of rTMS and constraint therapy (CIMT) to enhance upper extremity function in children (6–18 years) with perinatal stroke hemiparesis. Thirty-five children (mean age 11.25 y, 20 males) attended a 2-week intensive motor learning camp, randomized 1:1 to daily non-lesioned M1 inhibitory (1 Hz, 1200 stimulations) rTMS or sham. TMS neurophysiology mapping lasting 90–120 min (baseline and 1 week post-camp) included RMT, AMT, stimulus response curves, iSP, SICI, ICF, and IHI. Primary safety outcomes were decreased function in: (1) affected hand in children with ipsilateral projections (Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), Melbourne Assessment (MA)) and (2) unaffected hand in all children (grip strength [GS], pinch strength [PS]). The Pediatric TMS Tolerability Evaluation was administered at 4 timepoints: 2 TMS neurophysiology sessions (pre and post camp) and 2 rTMS treatments (days 1 and 10). This measure characterizes any adverse events and subjectively ranks TMS against 7 common childhood experiences. Differences in hand function and tolerability scores were compared between rTMS and sham and over time (paired t -tests, ANOVA). TMS and rTMS procedures were well tolerated with no serious adverse events and no drop-outs. Affected hand function in children with ispsilateral projections did not decrease between rTMS and sham (AHA no change, MA increased). Unaffected hand function did not decrease with rTMS (GS and PS same). TMS and rTMS tolerability scores were favourable, scoring better than “a long car ride” on average. All side effects were mild, brief (minutes), and self-limiting with none requiring medication. Headache was common (43% during 1st TMS session) but resolved with removal of the swim cap used for mapping. Headache rates decreased (20%) with the same protocol 3 weeks later. Headache was uncommon during rTMS (11%) with tolerance (0% at 2nd session) and comparable rates between rTMS and sham. Other side-effects (neck pain, tingling, nausea, presyncope) were infrequent (<5% on final TMS session). Non-invasive brain stimulation trials are safe and feasible in children with perinatal stroke. Inhibitory rTMS over the non-lesioned M1 does not negatively affect normal hand function or affected hand function in children with ipsilateral projections. Headaches are common but mild and self-limiting.

The Painfulness of Active, but not Sham, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Decreases Rapidly Over Time: Results From the Double-Blind Phase of the OPT-TMS Trial

BackgroundDaily left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over several weeks is an FDA approved treatment for major depression. Although rTMS is generally safe when administered using the FDA guidelines, there are a number of side effects that can make it difficult for patients to complete a course of rTMS. Many patients report that rTMS is painful, although patients appear to accommodate to the initial painfulness. The reduction in pain is hypothesized to be due to prefrontal stimulation and is not solely explained by accommodation to the stimulation. MethodsIn a recent 4 site randomized controlled trial (using an active electrical sham stimulation system) investigating the antidepressant effects of daily left dorsolateral prefrontal rTMS (Optimization of TMS, or OPT-TMS), the procedural painfulness of TMS was assessed before and after each treatment session. Computerized visual analog scale ratings were gathered before and after each TMS session in the OPT-TMS trial. Stimulation was delivered with an iron core figure-8 coil (Neuronetics) with the following parameters: 10 Hz, 120% MT (EMG-defined), 4 s pulse train, 26 s inter-train interval, 3000 pulses per session, one 37.5 min session per day. After each session, procedural pain (pain at the beginning of the TMS session, pain toward the middle, and pain toward then end of the session) ratings were collected at all 4 sites. From the 199 patients randomized, we had usable data from 142 subjects for the initial 15 TMS sessions (double-blind phase) delivered over 3 weeks (142 × 2 × 15 = 4260 rating sessions). ResultsThe painfulness of real TMS was initially higher than that of the active sham condition. Over the 15 treatment sessions, subjective reports of the painfulness of rTMS (during the beginning, middle and end of the session) decreased significantly 37% from baseline in those receiving active TMS, with no change in painfulness in those receiving sham. This reduction, although greatest in the first few days, continued steadily over the 3 weeks. Overall, there was a decay rate of 1.56 VAS points per session in subjective painfulness of the procedure in those receiving active TMS. DiscussionThe procedural pain of left, prefrontal rTMS decreases over time, independently of other emotional changes, and only in those receiving active TMS. These data suggest that actual TMS stimulation of prefrontal cortex maybe related to the reduction in pain, and that it is not a non-specific accommodation to pain. This painfulness reduction softly corresponds with later clinical outcome. Further work is needed to better understand this phenomenon and whether acute within-session or over time painfulness changes might be used as short-term biomarkers of antidepressant response.

Right temporal TMS impairs voice detection

Summary Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research has revealed bilateral cortical regions along the upper banks of the superior temporal sulci (STS) which respond preferentially to voices compared to non-vocal, environmental sounds [1,2]. This sensitivity is particularly pronounced in the right hemisphere. Voice perception models imply that these regions, referred to as the temporal voice areas (TVAs), could correspond to a first stage of voice-specific processing in auditory cortex [3,4], after which different types of vocal information are processed in interacting but partially independent functional pathways. However, clear causal evidence for this claim is missing. Here we provide the first direct link between TVA activity and voice detection ability using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Voice/non-voice discrimination ability was impaired when rTMS was targeted at the right TVA compared with a control site. In contrast, a lower-level loudness judgement task was not differentially affected by site of stimulation. Results imply that neuronal computations in the right TVA are necessary for the distinction between human voices and other, non-vocal sounds.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for tinnitus treatment: No enhancement by the dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor bupropion

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporal cortex has shown beneficial effects in patients with chronic tinnitus. Recent preclinical data in healthy controls suggest that the effects of low-frequency rTMS can be enhanced by dopaminergic drugs. We investigated whether application of the dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion increases the clinical effects of low-frequency rTMS over the auditory cortex in tinnitus patients. Eighteen subjects with chronic tinnitus received 10 sessions of 1 Hz rTMS (2000 pulses/day, 110% motor threshold) applied to the left temporal cortex. In addition, these subjects received one dosage of 150 mg bupropion (Wellbutrin XL/Elontril) 4 hours before each TMS session. Treatment outcome was assessed with a tinnitus questionnaire over a 3-month period. Treatment effects were compared with a control group of 100 tinnitus patients matched for age, tinnitus duration, and tinnitus questionnaire baseline scores, who received the same rTMS treatment without prior bupropion application. For the whole sample, there was a significant effect of rTMS treatment over time. There were no significant differences between the bupropion and the control group. Our data suggest that 150 mg bupropion administration does not enhance the effect of rTMS in the treatment of tinnitus.

TMS in Tinnitus Treatment: Enhancement by Dopamine Agonists?

Objective Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporal cortex revealed positive effects in patients with chronic tinnitus. Recent preclinical data in healthy controls suggest that effects of low frequency rTMS can be enhanced by application of dopamine agonists. Based on these data, we investigated whether application of a dopaminergic drug increases clinical effects of low frequency rTMS over the auditory cortex in tinnitus patients. Methods 18 subjects with chronic tinnitus received sessions of 1Hz rTMS (2000 pulses/d, 110% motor threshold) applied to the left temporal cortex on 10 subsequent working days. Additionally, these subjects received one dosage of Madopar® (100mg Levodopa/ 25 mg Benserazide)1 hour prior to each TMS session. Treatment outcome was assessed over a 3-month period with a tinnitus questionnaire (TQ). Treatment effects were compared to a control group matched for age, gender, tinnitus duration, and hearing loss, which received the same rTMS treatment without prior Levodopa application. Results TMS treatment resulted in a reduction of TQ scores in both groups. Improvement was slightly superior in the Levodopa group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p &lt;0.05). Conclusions These results further support that rTMS has beneficial effects in treatment of chronic tinnitus. Levodopa resulted in a slight, but non-significant, tendency towards better outcome. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

Cumulative sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) build up facilitation to subsequent TMS‐mediated behavioural disruptions

A single session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can induce behavioural effects that outlast the duration of the stimulation train itself (off-line effects). Series of rTMS sessions on consecutive days are being used for therapeutic applications in a variety of disorders and are assumed to lead to the build-up of cumulative effects. However, no studies have carefully assessed this notion. In the present study we applied 30 daily sessions of 1 Hz rTMS (continuous train of 20 min) to repeatedly modulate activity in the posterior parietal cortex and associated neural systems in two intact cats. We assessed the effect on visuospatial orientation before and after each stimulation session. Cumulative sessions of rTMS progressively induced visuospatial neglect-like 'after-effects' of greater magnitude (from 5-10% to 40-50% error levels) and increasing spatial extent (from 90-75 degrees to 45-30 degrees eccentricity locations), affecting the visual hemifield contralateral to the stimulated hemisphere. Nonetheless, 60 min after each TMS session, visual detection-localization abilities repeatedly returned to baseline levels. Furthermore, no lasting behavioural effect could be demonstrated at any time across the study, when subjects were tested 1 or 24 h post-rTMS. We conclude that the past history of periodically cumulative rTMS sessions builds up a lasting 'memory', resulting in increased facilitation to subsequent TMS-induced disruptions. Such a phenomenon allows a behavioural effect of progressively higher magnitude, but equal duration, in response to individual TMS interventions.

Severe Depression Responds To Low-Frequency Stimulation

Severe Depression Responds To Low-Frequency Stimulation

Safety aspects of chronic low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation based on localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and histology of the rat brain

Because repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is capable of inducing lasting alterations of cortical excitability, it represents a promising therapeutic tool in several neuropsychiatric disorders. However, rTMS, especially when applied chronically, may cause harmful effects in the stimulated tissue. To study the safety of chronic rTMS we used a novel small stimulation coil, which was specially designed to treat rats, and investigated brain tissue using in vivo localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and post mortem histological analysis. Histology was based on a modified stereology method in combination with immunohistochemistry applying antibodies against OX-6, OX-42, ED, and GFAP to detect any microglial and/or astrocytic activation 48 h after the last TMS session. Conscious rats were treated with a daily suprathreshold rTMS regimen of 1000 stimuli applied on 5 consecutive days at a frequency of 1 Hz. In comparison with control animals receiving magnetic stimulation over the lumbar spine, quantitative evaluations of cerebral metabolite concentrations by proton MRS revealed no significant alterations of N-acetyl-aspartate, creatine and phosphocreatine, choline-containing compounds, myo-inositol, glucose and lactate after chronic rTMS. Similarly to the in vivo results, post mortem histology revealed no changes in microglial and astrocytic activation after rTMS. In conclusion, these data provide support for the safety of chronic rTMS. However, they do not exclude acute changes on neurotransmitters systems or other physiologic responses during or directly after the rTMS treatment.

GSS-Based Environmental Planning in Tanzania

Environmental planning and natural resource management are frequently neglected in developing countries. It is considered costly and difficult to align with common development priorities and with donor preferences, shows the prevailing development uncertainties, and may demonstrate lacking competence and management capabilities. Moreover, it has seldom, if at all, contributed to implementing and enforcing an integrated conservation policy. This paper describes an attempt by a Tanzanian marine conservation group to break out of the vicious circle - inadequate planning leads to ‘ineffective island’ solutions that may conform to outside preferences but are not coordinated with an overall environmental strategy and may, indeed, worsen environmental problems which, in turn, require more ‘fire-fighting’ efforts. The group initiated a new approach to devising conservation strategies with adequate IT support. It used the facilities of the first Tanzanian ‘Electronic Meeting Room’ at the University of Dar es Salaam, to investigate and demonstrate how group support systems (GSS) can help to make environmental planning more effective and efficient. The authors facilitated the group’s session. They demonstrate that GSS-based environmental planning can deliver high quality results, increase planning effectiveness, efficiency and group productivity, and enforce transparent decisionmaking processes, enabling participatory development, implementation and monitoring of integrated conservation policies.