Enhancement of Hippocampal Plasticity Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Completed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Mild Cognitive Impairment
In brief
The ultimate goal of this study is to develop non-invasive, painless repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocols to prevent cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively normal individuals at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Currently, 1 in 9 adults over the age of 65 have AD, which currently totals more than 5 million Americans and this number is expected to rise as high as 16 million by 2050. MCI is a clinical syndrome that represents the gray area between healthy aging and dementia. Those with amnestic MCI (aMCI) have memory problems more severe than normal for their age and education, but their symptoms are not as severe as those of people with AD. Patients with aMCI are at high risk for AD. Notably, roughly half of those with MCI will continue to progress and convert to clinical dementia within 3 years. Alternatively, it is also worthwhile to study cognitively healthy older adults who carry genes that may increase the risk of AD. The frequency of the human APOE gene ε4 allele increases in patients with AD and the ε4 allele is also associated with an earlier age of disease onset. Currently, there are no known therapies that can effectively modify the progression and hallmark symptoms of AD. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an early intervention in patients with aMCI to delay or prevent the progression to AD. More specifically, this project has two specific aims: 1. To plan personalized non-invasive brain stimulation location by brain Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) 2. To identify potential personalized cognitive enhancement strategy (such as dosage or patterns) of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in MCI. Techniques to artificially and precisely stimulate brain tissue are increasingly recognized as valuable tools both in clinical practice and in cognitive neuroscience studies among healthy individuals and people with clinical conditions. With these practices, researchers can safely stimulate specific regions of the brain to explore causal relationships that comprise the brain's circuitry and modulate behavior.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT03962959
- Run by
- University of Arizona
- People needed
- 97
- Starts
- 2020-10-21
- Expected to finish
- 2025-09-24
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-04-13
Who can join
Age: 50 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Age 50-85 years
- MCI clinical criteria: (a) typical comprehensive criteria (at least one cognitive test <= -1.5 SD), or (b) Jak/Bondi criteria (2 tests within the same domain <= -1SD or 3 tests total <= -1SD)
- Right handed
- English speaking
- Able to attend daily intervention (Monday-Friday) for 4 weeks
- Not enrolled in another interventional study within 6 months prior to beginning this study
You may not qualify if…
- Contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Other neurological disorders (e.g. stroke, head injuries, or multiple sclerosis)
- Current cancer treatment or other medical problems that might independently affect cognitive function
- Cognitively Normal Individuals:
- Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 50-85 years
- Right handed
- English speaking
- Able to attend daily intervention (Monday-Friday) for 4 weeks
- Not enrolled in another interventional study within 6 months prior to beginning this study
- Exclusion Criteria:
- Contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Other neurological disorders (e.g. stroke, head injuries, or multiple sclerosis)
- Current cancer treatment or other medical problems that might independently affect cognitive function
- No dementia or impaired cognitive functioning, assessed using the NACC battery.
Where it is running
- Bioscience Research Laboratory — Tucson, Arizona, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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