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NON-INVASIVE BRAIN STIMULATION FOR MEMORY LOSS IN EARLY ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

NCT07667478 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2026-06-25

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, can improve short-term memory in people with early Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study will also evaluate the safety of this approach.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does rTMS applied to the cerebellum improve short-term memory in people with early AD?
* How does this stimulation affect brain activity and connectivity measured by MRI?

Researchers will compare active rTMS to sham rTMS (a look-alike procedure that does not deliver brain stimulation) to see if rTMS works to improve memory.

Participants will:

* Complete a screening visit with medical and memory assessments
* Be randomly assigned to receive either active rTMS or sham rTMS (neither participants nor researchers will know the assignment during treatment)
* Receive 20 rTMS sessions over 4 weeks (about 20 to 30 minutes per session)
* Undergo two MRI scans, one before and one after treatment
* Complete memory and thinking tests and questionnaires at baseline, immediately after treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up visits

Participation in the study will last about 6 months.

The rTMS is generally well tolerated. The most common side effects include mild headache and scalp discomfort during treatment, which are usually short-lasting. MRI is non-invasive and safe for most people. Study procedures will be reviewed to ensure participant safety.

Participants may or may not benefit directly from this study. People who receive active rTMS may experience improvement in memory. This research may help improve understanding of memory function in AD and support development of new treatments.

Conditions

  • Alzheimer s Disease
  • Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Due to Alzheimer's Disease
  • Mild Dementia

Interventions

DEVICE

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

This is an early phase study investigating the effects of rTMS on individuals with early AD.

OTHER

sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS

sham rTMS

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium

    collaborator OTHER

  • Chi-Ying (Roy) Lin

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-04-15
Primary Completion
2031-04-14
Completion
2031-04-14
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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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 NCT07667478 on ClinicalTrials.gov