Targeted Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Hippocampal-dependent Declarative Memory Abilities
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Cognitive Studies, Cognitive Studies, Neurology |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Neurology, Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 19 - Any |
| Updated: | 3/7/2019 |
| Start Date: | January 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | July 2021 |
| Contact: | Nicholas Christopher-Hayes |
| Email: | wnl@unmc.edu |
| Phone: | 4025595805 |
The investigators propose a pilot study of the potential for non-invasive transcranial
magnetic stimulation (TMS) to improve memory in healthy adults (young and old) and to treat
memory deficits in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). aMCI is a
condition that frequently precedes Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a key symptom of aMCI is
clinically significant memory loss (i.e., rapid forgetting) greater than expected for age.
The investigators will test whether a form of non-invasive brain stimulation repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve memory abilities in healthy young
adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with aMCI by retuning memory-related brain
networks. This study's specific aims are to: 1) Measure changes in declarative memory
performance after treatment with targeted rTMS; 2) Measure modulation of functional brain
networks after treatment with targeted rTMS. To achieve these aims, the investigators will
recruit participants from a standing registry and other sources, test their memory abilities,
apply rTMS to a specific brain region, and then test their memory abilities again. As a
control, all participants will receive sham rTMS that does not stimulate the brain in one of
the two phases of participation. By testing whether real rTMS improves memory abilities more
than sham rTMS, the investigators will determine whether rTMS can reliably improve memory in
the populations of interest. Also, the investigators will measure changes in brain activity
before and after stimulation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and
magnetoencephalography (MEG). This study is a key first step which will support the
investigators' long-term goal of treating memory deficits in neurological patients. The
investigators expect that rTMS will improve memory abilities in all participants, and that
the improvements in memory will be attributable to changes in the connectivity of
memory-related brain networks. This study has clear clinical and translational relevance
because it adapts a novel technique addressing a key symptom of AD to new populations. The
investigators expect that the findings will improve the field's understanding of memory loss
in healthy aging, aMCI, and AD.
magnetic stimulation (TMS) to improve memory in healthy adults (young and old) and to treat
memory deficits in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). aMCI is a
condition that frequently precedes Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a key symptom of aMCI is
clinically significant memory loss (i.e., rapid forgetting) greater than expected for age.
The investigators will test whether a form of non-invasive brain stimulation repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve memory abilities in healthy young
adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with aMCI by retuning memory-related brain
networks. This study's specific aims are to: 1) Measure changes in declarative memory
performance after treatment with targeted rTMS; 2) Measure modulation of functional brain
networks after treatment with targeted rTMS. To achieve these aims, the investigators will
recruit participants from a standing registry and other sources, test their memory abilities,
apply rTMS to a specific brain region, and then test their memory abilities again. As a
control, all participants will receive sham rTMS that does not stimulate the brain in one of
the two phases of participation. By testing whether real rTMS improves memory abilities more
than sham rTMS, the investigators will determine whether rTMS can reliably improve memory in
the populations of interest. Also, the investigators will measure changes in brain activity
before and after stimulation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and
magnetoencephalography (MEG). This study is a key first step which will support the
investigators' long-term goal of treating memory deficits in neurological patients. The
investigators expect that rTMS will improve memory abilities in all participants, and that
the improvements in memory will be attributable to changes in the connectivity of
memory-related brain networks. This study has clear clinical and translational relevance
because it adapts a novel technique addressing a key symptom of AD to new populations. The
investigators expect that the findings will improve the field's understanding of memory loss
in healthy aging, aMCI, and AD.
The investigators anticipate enrolling 48 subjects total:
- 16 healthy young adults (age 19-35)
- 16 healthy older adults (demographically matched to aMCI group for age, sex, and
educational attainment)
- 16 older adults diagnosed with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI)
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Adults 19 years of age and older
2. Healthy adults without history of psychiatric or neurological disease OR previous
diagnosis of amnestic MCI
3. Must be able to provide informed consent
4. Must have the ability to comply with basic instructions and have the ability to sit
comfortably still for TMS, neuroimaging, and other study procedures.
5. Right-handed based on self-report (pre-screening) and evaluation with a standard test.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Individuals who have ferrous metal implanted in their body (other than in their teeth)
or any other non-removable medical and/or metallic implant
2. Individuals who have increased intracranial pressure
3. Individuals who have any major medical illness (e.g., cancer, HIV+, hepatitis, heart
disease)
4. Individuals who have confounding/dual diagnoses (e.g., comorbid mental illness and
substance use disorder)
5. Individuals with current diagnoses of alcohol or substance abuse/dependence
6. Individuals with epilepsy, any history of seizures, or using medication that lowers
seizure threshold
7. Individuals with any neurological disorder other than aMCI (e.g., stroke, traumatic
brain injury)
8. Pregnant females --- as determined by urine pregnancy test --- will be excluded from
this study due to uncertainty of the effects of MRI and TMS on the fetus
9. Not right-handed based on self-report (pre-screening) or evaluation with a standard
test
10. Not a native English speaker.
We found this trial at
1
site
Univ of Nebraska Med Ctr A vital enterprise in the nation’s heartland, the University of...
Click here to add this to my saved trials
