Franz Anton Mesmer and the advancements in electromagnetic brain stimulation: from a flawed perspective to the transcranial magnetic stimulation

Franz Anton Mesmer’s 18th-century theory of animal magnetism was a fascinating early step in exploring how electromagnetic forces affect the human body. This journey of discovery, full of skepticism and false beliefs has since evolved into the modern practice of using transcranial magnetic stimulation. While Mesmers’ persona was portrayed as a deceiver and a weak hypnotist, it can be argued that his ideas partook in laying the groundwork for exploring the relationship between magnetism and human homeostasis. This article introduces the figure of Mesmer, from his humble beginnings as a possible future priest to a beloved founder of a medical treatment philosophy, later disregarded as such by one of the first medical trial in history. This paper continues by analyzing Mesmers’ controversial theories and practices and putting it into a perspective with the historical and scientific developments of his time. It introduces the electro-magnetic era from its beginnings to the first controversial therapies such as electroconvulsive shock to its latest application, the transcranial magnetic stimulation. A tool, still in its first stages of medical applications, already being used as a possible treatment for various conditions and as a support for neurosurgical advancements by improving navigation and anatomical mapping in tumor surgery.