rTMS Combined With Aerobic Exercise for Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Comorbid Depression

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and aerobic exercise on cognitive function and mental health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and comorbid depression. Forty-five participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) rTMS alone, (2) rTMS combined with stationary cycling exercise, or (3) sham rTMS combined with stationary cycling exercise. Participants will receive 20 intervention sessions over a 5-week period (4 sessions per week). Outcomes, including cognitive function, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and gait performance, will be assessed at baseline, immediately after completion of the 5-week intervention, and at a 1-month follow-up. The findings may contribute to the development of evidence-based, non-pharmacological interventions for improving cognitive and mental health outcomes in older adults with MCI and comorbid depression.

Conditions

• Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
• Depressive Symptoms

Interventions

DEVICE

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is delivered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using a figure-of-eight coil. Participants receive stimulation sessions 4 times per week for 5 weeks (20 sessions total).

BEHAVIORAL

Aerobic Exercise

Participants perform 30 minutes of moderate-intensity stationary cycling exercise immediately following rTMS or sham rTMS sessions. Exercise sessions are conducted 4 times per week for 5 weeks (20 sessions total).

DEVICE

Sham Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Sham stimulation is delivered using a figure-of-eight coil positioned at a 90-degree angle relative to the scalp and approximately 3 cm away from the scalp surface to mimic the sensory and auditory experience of active stimulation without producing effective cortical activation. Participants receive sham stimulation sessions 4 times per week for 5 weeks (20 sessions total).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cheng-Hsin General Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kai-Chen Wang, MD · Cheng-Hsin General Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Max Age

90 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-03

Primary Completion

2027-12-31

Completion

2027-12-31

Countries

• Taiwan

Study Locations