Hippocampal Temporal Interference Stimulation for Memory and Dual-Task Postural Control in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

August 13, 2026 updated by: Jiaojiao Lü, PhD, Shanghai University of Sport

Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Hippocampal-Targeted Temporal Interference Stimulation on Memory Function and Dual-Task Postural Control in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

This trial aims to investigate whether a single session of 40 Hz hippocampal temporal interference stimulation can improve memory function and dual-task postural control among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The primary research questions to be addressed are as follows:

  • Can 40 Hz hippocampal temporal interference stimulation boost memory test performance in older adults with MCI?
  • Can 40 Hz hippocampal temporal interference stimulation improve walking and balance ability under dual-task conditions in older adults with MCI? Researchers will compare active 40 Hz hippocampal temporal interference stimulation against sham stimulation to identify whether this intervention yields positive immediate effects on memory function and dual-task postural control.

Participants will be required to:

  • Attend three laboratory visits over approximately three weeks, and receive one session of active stimulation and one session of sham stimulation in random order, with an interval of at least seven days between the two stimulation visits;
  • Complete memory and motor function assessments before and after each stimulation session;
  • Undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to detect changes in brain activity.

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.
21

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.
  • Name: Jiaojiao Lü, PhD
  • Phone Number: +86 18516565889
  • Email: ljj27@163.com

Study Locations

  • China
    • Shanghai Municipality
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200438
        • Recruiting
        • Shanghai University of Sport
        • Contact:
          • Ethics Committee of the Shanghai University of Sport
          • Phone Number: +86 21 65508179
          • Email: lunli@sus.edu.cn

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

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

  1. Aged 65 years or older;
  2. Presence of subjective memory complaints;
  3. Objective cognitive impairment: screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Bejingversion (MoCA-BJ). The MoCA-BJ total score is 30 points. For individuals with <12 years ofeducation, 1 point is added to the raw total score (corrected total score capped at 30 points); acorrected total score <26 points indicates risk of cognitive impairment;
  4. Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score of 0.5;
  5. Does not meet diagnostic criteria for dementia: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores>18 for illiterate individuals, 221 for those with primary school education, and >25 for those withjunior high school education or above;6. Retains independent activities of daily living (ADL) and is capable of cooperating with allassessments and interventions.

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

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: TIs Arm
Participants receive a single 20-minute session of active 40 Hz temporal interference stimulation (TIS) targeting the left hippocampus. In this randomized crossover design, each participant also undergoes a sham session on a separate visit, with at least 7 days between sessions. Memory, dual-task postural control, and fMRI assessments are conducted before and after each session.
Device: Temporal Interference Stimulation
Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (TIS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique. In this randomized crossover trial, each participant receives two sessions in random order: one active 40 Hz TIS session targeting the left hippocampus and one sham session, with at least 7 days between sessions. Each session lasts 20 minutes. Outcome measures include memory tests, dual-task postural control assessments, and fMRI scans, conducted before and immediately after each session.
Other Names:
  • TIs
Sham Comparator: sham group
Participants receive a single 20-minute session of sham TIS using identical electrode placement and setup, but without effective 40 Hz stimulation. In this randomized crossover design, each participant also undergoes an active TIS session on a separate visit, with at least 7 days between sessions. Memory, dual-task postural control, and fMRI assessments are conducted before and after each session.
Device: Temporal Interference Stimulation
Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (TIS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique. In this randomized crossover trial, each participant receives two sessions in random order: one active 40 Hz TIS session targeting the left hippocampus and one sham session, with at least 7 days between sessions. Each session lasts 20 minutes. Outcome measures include memory tests, dual-task postural control assessments, and fMRI scans, conducted before and immediately after each session.
Other Names:
  • TIs

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
Change From Pre-intervention in Object-Scene Associative Memory Retrieval Accuracy After Stimulation
Time Frame: Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Retrieval accuracy is assessed using a computerized object-scene associative memory task programmed in E-Prime 3.0. Accuracy is calculated as the number of correct match/non-match responses divided by the total number of valid retrieval trials and multiplied by 100. The reported outcome is the post-intervention value minus the pre-intervention value within each stimulation period. Higher percentages indicate better associative memory retrieval performance.
Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Change From Pre-intervention in Object-Scene Associative Memory Retrieval Reaction Time After Stimulation
Time Frame: Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Reaction time is recorded by E-Prime 3.0 during the retrieval phase of the computerized object-scene associative memory task. The measure is the mean reaction time across valid trials with correct responses. Trials with no response, reaction times shorter than 300 milliseconds, or reaction times more than 3 standard deviations above the participant-specific mean are excluded according to the prespecified data-cleaning procedure. The reported outcome is the post-intervention value minus the pre-intervention value within each stimulation period. Shorter reaction times indicate greater retrieval efficiency.
Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period

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
Change From Pre-intervention in Left Hippocampal Task-Evoked BOLD Signal During Associative Memory Retrieval
Time Frame: Before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period, with post-intervention scanning initiated immediately after stimulation
Task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging is acquired while participants perform the object-scene associative memory task. The measure is the mean blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) percent signal change within a prespecified anatomically defined left hippocampal region of interest during correct associative memory retrieval relative to the task control condition. The reported outcome is the post-intervention value minus the pre-intervention value within each stimulation period. Positive values indicate increased retrieval-related activation of the left hippocampus.
Before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period, with post-intervention scanning initiated immediately after stimulation
Change From Pre-intervention in Dual-Task Cost of 3-Meter Timed Up and Go Completion Time After Stimulation
Time Frame: Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Participants perform the 3-meter Timed Up and Go test under single-task and dual-task conditions. During the dual-task condition, participants complete the test while continuously subtracting 3 from a randomly selected three-digit number. Total completion time is measured in seconds using the Mobility Lab wearable motion analysis system. Each condition is tested three times, and the mean completion time is used. Dual-task cost is calculated as: [(dual-task completion time - single-task completion time) / single-task completion time] × 100%. The reported outcome is the post-intervention value minus the pre-intervention value within each stimulation period. A higher dual-task cost indicates greater deterioration in mobility performance under cognitive load.
Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Change From Pre-intervention in Dual-Task Cost of 7-Meter Walking Speed After Stimulation
Time Frame: Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Participants complete the 7-meter walking test at their usual comfortable speed under single-task and dual-task conditions. During the dual-task condition, participants walk while continuously subtracting 3 from a randomly selected three-digit number. Walking speed is measured in meters per second using the Mobility Lab wearable motion analysis system. Each condition is tested three times, and the mean walking speed is used. Dual-task cost is calculated as: [(single-task walking speed - dual-task walking speed) / single-task walking speed] × 100%. The reported outcome is the post-intervention value minus the pre-intervention value within each stimulation period. A higher dual-task cost indicates a greater reduction in walking speed under cognitive load.
Immediately before and after each 20-minute stimulation session during each crossover period
Number of Participants With Any Stimulation-Associated Adverse Symptom
Time Frame: During and immediately after each 20-minute stimulation session in each crossover period
Safety is assessed using a standardized adverse-reaction questionnaire completed immediately after each stimulation session. Prespecified symptoms include tingling, itching, burning sensation, pain, skin redness, fatigue, visual sensations, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes. Each symptom is rated as none, mild, moderate, or severe, corresponding to scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Other spontaneously reported symptoms are also recorded. For each stimulation condition, a participant is counted as having an adverse symptom if at least one prespecified or spontaneously reported symptom is present with a severity score of 1 or higher during or immediately after stimulation.
During and immediately after each 20-minute stimulation session in each crossover period

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.
Shanghai University of Sport

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.
July 30, 2026

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.
July 15, 2027

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.
July 30, 2027

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).
August 8, 2026

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.
August 13, 2026

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.
August 18, 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 18, 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 13, 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.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • ID: 102772026RT090

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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