Heart fix may shield brain: FALCON trial tests ablation for memory loss
NCT ID NCT05790707
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a heart procedure called catheter ablation can slow down memory loss in people with mild cognitive impairment who also have a common heart rhythm problem called atrial fibrillation. 120 participants will be randomly assigned to get either the ablation plus heart-rhythm drugs, or the drugs alone. The main goal is to see if the ablation group has better scores on a memory and thinking test after 6 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- catheter ablation (a procedure using heat or cold to destroy heart tissue causing irregular rhythm) plus antiarrhythmic drugs
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a way to preserve memory and thinking in people with both atrial fibrillation and mild cognitive impairment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (120 people) and the main outcome is a questionnaire score, not a hard endpoint. The procedure carries risks like bleeding, infection, or heart damage, and the cognitive benefit is uncertain.
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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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CHU Angers
RECRUITINGAngers, France
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CHU Grenoble
RECRUITINGGrenoble, France
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Centre Cardiologique du Nord
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGSaint-Denis, France
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La Timone
RECRUITINGMarseille, France
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University Hospital
RECRUITINGBrest, France
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University Hospital
RECRUITINGCaen, France
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University Hospital
RECRUITINGDijon, France
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University Hospital
RECRUITINGPoitiers, France
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