rTMS for Apathy Clinical Trial

Apathy is a common, early, and disabling symptom in dementias and mild behavioural impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is characterized by lack of interest and enthusiasm. Both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of non-invasive brain stimulation, and methylphenidate, a medication, have been shown to improve apathy. This pilot study will investigate rTMS as a treatment for apathy in neurocognitive disorders and mild behavioural impairment in individuals receiving methylphenidate and individuals not receiving medication for apathy.

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Key information

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease Apathy in Dementia Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cognition Disorders Cognitive Dysfunction Dementia Lethargy Mental Disorders Mild Behavioural Impairment Mild Cognitive Impairment Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodegenerative Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Tauopathies

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Carla Zucchero-Sarracini

CONTACT

[email protected]

416-480-6100 ext. 63185

Krista L Lanctôt, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

mild or major neurocognitive disorder OR mild behavioural impairment
Apathy for at least 4 weeks
Stable dose of medication (>4 weeks) that may affect cognition or behaviour
Care partner who spends at least 10 hours a week with the subject

Exclusion criteria

Current major depressive episode
Agitation, delusions, hallucination
Medical contraindications to rTMS
Currently taking an amphetamine product
Central nervous system abnormalities, Tourette's syndrome, or motor tics
Current participation in another clinical trial

Treatment and study plan

rTMS

Device

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

Methylphenidate

Drug

methylphenidate

Primary outcomes

Neuropsychiatric Inventory-apathy

Time frame: 2 weeks

Measure of apathy on a scale from 0 to 12 with a higher score indicating greater apathy

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Apathy Clinical Trial (REACT)

Acronym: REACT

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Sep 30, 2022
Registry last updated: Apr 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Recruiting