Apparatus for stimulating neurons, comprising - a non-invasive stimulation unit for the generation of stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels (12-15), wherein the stimulation unit is configured in such a way that the stimuli stimulate a neuron population in the brain and/or the spinal cord of a patient via the stimulation channels (12-15) at respectively different points; - a measurement unit for the recording of measurement signals that represent a neuronal activity of the neuron population stimulated with the stimuli ; and - a control unit which controls the stimulation unit in such a way that the stimulation unit generates repetitive bursts that each comprise a plurality of stimuli in each of the stimulation channels (12-15), wherein the bursts generated in different stimulation channels (12-15) are delayed in time with respect to one another, characterised in that - the bursts are configured in such a way that they do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respective stimulated neurons, - the control unit by means of the measurement signals checks whether the bursts generated by the stimulation unit do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, - following a determination that the bursts reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, the control unit controls the stimulation unit in such a way that the bursts subsequently generated by the stimulation unit have a reduced stimulation strength, and - the reduction of the stimulation strength of the bursts generated by the stimulation unit is continued for so long until the control unit recognizes that the bursts do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons. - a non-invasive stimulation unit for the generation of stimuli in a plurality of stimulation channels (12-15), wherein the stimulation unit is configured in such a way that the stimuli stimulate a neuron population in the brain and/or the spinal cord of a patient via the stimulation channels (12-15) at respectively different points; - a measurement unit for the recording of measurement signals that represent a neuronal activity of the neuron population stimulated with the stimuli ; and - a control unit which controls the stimulation unit in such a way that the stimulation unit generates repetitive bursts that each comprise a plurality of stimuli in each of the stimulation channels (12-15), wherein the bursts generated in different stimulation channels (12-15) are delayed in time with respect to one another, - the bursts are configured in such a way that they do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respective stimulated neurons, - the control unit by means of the measurement signals checks whether the bursts generated by the stimulation unit do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, - following a determination that the bursts reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons, the control unit controls the stimulation unit in such a way that the bursts subsequently generated by the stimulation unit have a reduced stimulation strength, and - the reduction of the stimulation strength of the bursts generated by the stimulation unit is continued for so long until the control unit recognizes that the bursts do not reset the phase of the neuronal activity of the respectively stimulated neurons. <EOS>