Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

August 27, 2026 updated by: Fujian Medical University Union Hospital

Efficacy and Safety of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Exploration of Glymphatic Mechanisms

This study is grounded in the regulatory mechanisms of the glymphatic system and applies repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The clinical efficacy and safety of rTMS will be systematically evaluated. Furthermore, transcranial magnetic stimulation-evoked potentials (TMS-EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be employed to investigate, from the perspectives of synaptic plasticity and neurovascular coupling, the mechanisms by which rTMS influences glymphatic function. Collectively, this work aims to provide new insights into both the therapeutic effectiveness and the underlying mechanisms of rTMS in AD.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
81

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Fujian
      • Fuzhou, Fujian, China, 350001
        • Recruiting
        • rTMS
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Meets the 2018 NIA-AA diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD)
  • Meets DSM-5 diagnostic criteria
  • Mild to moderate disease severity (CDR Global Score 1 to 2)
  • Evidence of AD pathology: positive amyloid PET OR positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers OR positive plasma AD biomarkers

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindications to rTMS treatment
  • Severe complications or immune diseases
  • Unable to cooperate with study procedures
  • History of epilepsy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: rTMS
Device: rTMS
Stimulation coil Cool-B65 A CO, positioning individualised, stimulation frequency 20Hz, stimulation intensity 100% of motor threshold, stimulation number 40 pulses/train, train interval 28s, 40 trains, 1600 total stimulation pulses, total stimulation time 20 min, treatment application once a day, continuous application for two weeks, 5 days a week.Consolidation therapy was also administered weekly for 6 months.
Sham Comparator: sham rTMS
Device: sham rTMS
Stimulation coil Cool-B65 P CO, positioning individualised, stimulation frequency 20Hz, stimulation intensity 100% of motor threshold, stimulation number 40 pulses/train, train interval 28s, 40 trains, 1600 total stimulation pulses, total stimulation time 20 min, treatment application once a day, continuous application for two weeks, 5 days a week
Active Comparator: Accelerated rTMS
Device: Accelerated rTMS
Accelerated rTMS (iTBS)was delivered using a Cool-B65 A/P coil with individualised positioning. Stimulation intensity was set at 80% of the motor threshold. Each iTBS burst consisted of three pulses delivered at 50 Hz, with bursts repeated at 5 Hz. Stimulation was delivered in 2-s trains separated by 28-s intervals, with a total of 1,600 pulses administered over approximately 20 min. Treatment was applied once daily, 5 days per week, for two consecutive weeks. Consolidation therapy was subsequently administered once weekly for 6 months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
MoCA Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
CDR Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR)
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
MMSE Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
NPI Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Neuropathological markers Change from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Aβ, tau, GFAP, NFL, VEGF
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
TMS-EEG Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG)
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
ACE-III Changes from baseline to post-treatment
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
fNIRS
Time Frame: Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment
functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Baseline vs 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Fujian Medical University Union Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 16, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 30, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 24, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 24, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • rTMS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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