Could magnetic pulses restore memory after ICU delirium?
NCT ID NCT07452939
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
Many older adults who survive an ICU stay with delirium continue to have trouble with memory, attention, and planning. This pilot study tests whether a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) can safely improve these cognitive problems. Forty adults aged 50 to 75 who had ICU delirium will receive either real or sham stimulation over two weeks, and their thinking skills will be tested before, right after, and one month later. The goal is to see if this approach is feasible and worth testing in larger trials.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) using a transcranial magnetic stimulation device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a safe, non-drug treatment to help older adults recover thinking skills after ICU delirium.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early pilot study with only 40 people. It is designed to test feasibility, not effectiveness, so results may not show clear benefit. The stimulation is investigational for this use.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Florida Shands Hospital
RECRUITINGGainesville, Florida, 32610, United States