Can magnetic pulses boost memory in dementia?
NCT ID NCT02621424
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 25, 2026
Summary
This completed study tested whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve memory and thinking in 32 veterans aged 55+ with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Participants received either real rTMS or a sham (fake) treatment. The main goal was to see changes in verbal memory scores right after treatment and again 4 months later.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, California, 94304-1207, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to ease memory problems in people with early dementia.
What could go wrong
This was a very small, early study with only 32 participants. Results may not apply to everyone, and any memory benefits might be small or short-lived.
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.