Zapping the brain to boost memory in Alzheimer's?
NCT ID NCT07543094
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a new, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called Temporal Interference Stimulation (TIS) in 40 people with early-stage Alzheimer's. Participants receive either real or sham stimulation for 2 weeks. Researchers will check if it improves thinking and memory right after treatment and 12 weeks later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Temporal Interference Stimulation (TIS) via a non-invasive brain stimulator (NervioX)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a safe, non-drug way to temporarily boost memory and thinking in early Alzheimer's.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage trial with only 40 people. The treatment is short (2 weeks) and may not produce lasting benefits. It's also unclear if results will apply to a broader population.
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 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2025
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2027
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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50 to 75 years
- 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: 1. According to the 2024 NIA-AA Revised Criteria , defined as positivity for at least one Core 1 biomarker: * Positive plasma p-tau217 test (positivity defined by clinically validated diagnostic cutoffs provided by the assay manufacturer); or * Positive amyloid PET scan; or * Abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ratios, including p-tau181/Aβ42, t-tau/Aβ42, or Aβ42/40. \*Reference: Revised criteria for diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer's Association Workgroup. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Aug;20(8):5143-5169.\* 2. Age between 50 and 75 years, inclusive. 3. Minimum of 6 years of formal education. 4. Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global score of 0.5 or 1.0. 5. MMSE≥21. 6. Stable dosage of cognitive-enhancing medications (e.g., cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine) for at least 6 weeks prior to screening. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Current or past history of significant neurological disorders other than AD (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis), intracranial lesions, neurosurgery, or significant head trauma. 2. Current use of medications that may substantially impair cognitive function (e.g., anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines). 3. Any contraindication for MRI or the stimulation device (e.g., metallic implants, pacemakers, severe claustrophobia). 4. Significant structural brain abnormalities on MRI (e.g., hydrocephalus, stroke, or severe white matter lesions \[Fazekas score ≥ 3\]). 5. Diagnosis of major depression or other active, uncontrolled psychiatric disorders. 6. Any severe or unstable medical condition that, in the investigator's judgment, could compromise participant safety or study validity (e.g., cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, respiratory, active cancer), or a history of alcohol/substance dependence.
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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
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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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Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 2000025, China
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