Den här översättningen är inte klar ännu. Den här sidan är just nu på engelska.

Gå till den engelska sidan

Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Can a brain ZAP and a common drug beat Alzheimer's apathy?

NCT ID NCT07279740

Symptom relief Sponsor: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This small study tests whether combining methylphenidate (a drug already used for apathy) with a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called iTBS can reduce apathy in people with Alzheimer's or mixed dementia. The trial will include 12 participants who have significant apathy and a care partner. The main goal is to see if the combination improves apathy scores over time.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
methylphenidate and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to reduce apathy in Alzheimer's, improving quality of life for patients and caregivers.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early-phase trial with only 12 participants, so results may not apply widely. The treatment may not work or could cause side effects like headache or discomfort from brain stimulation.

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

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 12 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jan 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Oct 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Alzheimer's disease or mixed Alzheimer's disease and vascular disease * MMSE score 10-28 inclusive * Clinically significant apathy * Stable dose of psychotropic medication * Care partner must spend at least 10hrs/week with the participant Exclusion Criteria: * Major Depressive Episode * Clinically significant agitation, delusions, hallucinations * Currently talking a dopaminergic agent other than methylphenidate * Failure to clear the TMS adult safety scale (e.g. unapproved pacemakers, metallic implants, history of epilepsy) * Central nervous system abnormalities (other than Alzheimer's disease) deemed clinically significant by study physician or seizures * Any condition that in the opinion of the study physician, makes it medically unsafe for the patient to enroll in the trial

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Alzheimer dementia are added.

Vår säkerhetsrekommendation!

Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Alzheimer disease dementia Lethargy

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Alzheimer dementia Alzheimer dementia (AD) Alzheimer disease Alzheimer's disease APATHY Apathy in dementia

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The study's own enquiry address

    This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .

  2. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  3. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  4. 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

  • Sunnybrook Research Institute

    RECRUITING

    Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.