TMS Pilot in Early AD II

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition affecting 6.2 million individuals in the United States, resulting in an annual cost of care of $305 billion. AD is functionally characterized by progressive degeneration of large-scale brain networks (LSBNs), including the default mode network (DMN) presumably from the deposition of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Available FDA-approved medications for AD such as donepezil and memantine offer limited benefit and modest impact on quality of life. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) offers a non-invasive alternative to pharmacotherapy in persons with AD. We propose a case series study to compare sham with iTBS.

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Key information

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Dementia Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodegenerative Diseases Tauopathies

Age range

40 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

HealthPartners Neuroscience Center

Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55130, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

Established diagnosis of Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/mild AD
Evidence for central nervous system (CNS) amyloidosis (e.g., Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers consistent with AD)
Prior brain imaging performed
Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) >24
Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5-1
Stable dose of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine for at least one month
Subjects are between 40-90 years of age

Exclusion criteria

Non-AD dementia including, but not limited to, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, etc.
Inability to tolerate resting state-function magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI)
Contraindication of rs-fMRI due to implants or metal
Seizure disorder

Treatment and study plan

Intermittent theta burst stimulation active coil

Device

MagVenture TMS Therapy active coil with theta burst stimulation. Resting motor threshold: 80%; Number of pulses per session: 1200 pulses; Inter-train interval: 8 seconds; Pulse frequency in burst: 50 Hertz

Other names: Transmagnetic stimulation, MagVenture

Sham coil

Device

MagVenture TMS Therapy sham coil

Other names: MagVenture

Primary outcomes

Effect of TBS on cognition between and within subjects using Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Update (RBANS)

Time frame: baseline, 7 weeks

Average change of RBANS total score in TMS arm compared to the average change in RBANS total score in the sham arm. Range [-160 to 160]. Positive comparison of TMS arm to sham arm indicates increased cognitive scores in TMS arm.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

HealthPartners Institute

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Preliminary Sham-Controlled Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) Study in Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Feb 10, 2025
Registry last updated: Jan 7, 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.

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