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Can magnetic brain stimulation lift mood and sharpen memory in seniors?
NCT ID NCT03665831
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) in 28 adults over 60 who have Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment along with depression that hasn't improved with medication. Participants receive daily dTMS sessions for 4 weeks using a special coil designed to reach deeper brain areas. The goal is to see if this treatment can safely reduce depression and possibly help with cognitive symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) using the Brainsway H1-Coil device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug option to improve mood and thinking in older adults with Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment who haven't benefited from antidepressants.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 28 participants, so results may not apply widely. The treatment requires daily sessions for 4 weeks, and it's unclear if benefits will last.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 28 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2018
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * meet DSM 5 criteria for Major or Mild Neurocognitive Disorder due to Alzheimer's disease with Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) score of at least 0.5 * have been diagnosed with DSM5 Major Depressive Disorder, with the current episode longer than 4 weeks but less than 5 years * did not respond to or did not tolerate antidepressant treatment * are willing to provide informed consent * are able to follow the treatment schedule * are stable on medications for 2 months and are not expected to change medication during the entire study period (if they are taking medications) * have a satisfactory safety screening questionnaire for TMS * have an informant/study partner who is able to complete study questionnaires regarding the participant Exclusion Criteria: * have a metal plate in their head, except in the mouth (such as an ear implant, implanted brain stimulators, aneurysm clips) * have known increased pressure or a history of increased pressure in their brain, which may increase their risk for having seizures * have a cardiac pacemaker * have an implanted medication pump * have a central venous line * have a significant heart disease or history of stroke * Modified Hachinski Score (MHIS) \> 3 (to exclude those with significant vascular component to memory loss) * have a history of any psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or dementia other than AD * have a history of substance abuse in the last 6 months * have a history of stroke or other brain lesions * have a personal history of epilepsy * have a family history of epilepsy * are a pregnant or breast-feeding woman * are taking psychotropic medications including antidepressant medications, antipsychotics or mood stabilizing medications due to increased risk of seizure * are taking memantine * have a history of abnormal MRI of the brain * have significant hearing loss requiring use of hearing aids * have untreated hypo- or hyper-thyroidism
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest
RECRUITINGToronto, Ontario, M6A 2E1, Canada
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