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Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Language in Alzheimer's Disease

NCT00814697 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 12

Last updated 2014-01-28

Study results available
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Summary

The investigators wish to investigate the efficacy of targeted repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on expressive language in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In rTMS, magnetic pulses are used to noninvasively stimulate focal areas of cortex of about a square centimeter in area. rTMS has been approved in the United States for the diagnosis of peripheral nerve conditions.

Depending on the frequency of stimulation, rTMS can preferentially stimulate or inhibit cortical areas. In stroke rehabilitation, for example, inhibition of the contralateral, uninvolved hemisphere by low frequency rTMS has improved movement of the affected limbs because of less aberrant inhibition of the affected hemisphere by the healthy hemisphere. The effects of rTMS has also been investigated and found to be useful in treating refractory depression and depression in Parkinson's disease. In addition, rTMS has improved naming in patients with Alzheimer's disease and has improved cognitive abilities and memory in non-demented older adults. Two studies found that rTMS improved aphasia in patients with stroke. While these studies are small, a review of the literature suggests that there may be a beneficial role for rTMS in patients with chronic neurological conditions. In addition, rTMS appears to be well tolerated, with transient headaches being the most common side effect.

In this small open label study, the investigators wish to investigate the usefulness of bilateral stimulation of the brain region termed the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in patients with AD who have naming and language deficits.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Coil Stimulation (rTMS)

The first six patients were administered rTMS at 10Hz in 20 trains of 5 seconds with 20 second intervals between trains in each hemisphere. The total number of pulses for each session was set at 1000 pulses. The second six enrolled patients were administered rTMS at 15 Hz in 20 trains of 5 seconds with 25 second intervals between trains in each hemisphere.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • The New York Memory Services

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Gayatri Devi, MD · The New York Memory Services

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
50 Years
Max Age
90 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2008-12-31
Primary Completion
2011-12-31
Completion
2012-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00814697 on ClinicalTrials.gov