High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Cognitive Improvement in Patients With Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment

April 21, 2026 updated by: wangyonghui, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University

Efficacy of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

To clarify the clinical efficacy of high-frequency rTMS on patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment, fNIRS and EEG techniques were used to observe the changes in brain functional activities of patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment after rTMS treatment, and to clarify the neuroregulatory effect of rTMS on patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The experimental group will receive rTMS stimulation therapy, which involves applying high-frequency 10Hz rTMS to the patient's head for 20 minutes, once a day, for a total of 20 sessions. The control group will undergo rTMS sham stimulation therapy, using a sham stimulation coil to apply the same parameters and method of stimulation to the head. Although the sham stimulation coil has no difference in appearance and sound from the real stimulation coil, it cannot generate a real magnetic field to stimulate the brain. You need to be evaluated before the treatment begins, after 10 sessions, and 20 sessions of the treatment. The evaluation content includes: Researchers will use relevant clinical evaluation scales to conduct functional evaluations on you, and perform near-infrared and electroencephalogram brain imaging measurements.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

40

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • China
      • Jinan, China
        • Recruiting
        • Qilu Hospital of Shandong University
        • 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Meets the diagnostic criteria for stroke as stipulated in the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Stroke in China (2021 Edition)", and the initial stroke diagnosis is confirmed by cranial CT or MRI examination, and is confirmed as the initial onset;
  2. The disease course is 1-12 months;
  3. Has cognitive impairment (MoCA < 26 points, education years ≤ 12 years, add 1 point to the score result);
  4. Age 35-75 years old, gender not limited;
  5. Stable vital signs, no progressive neurological symptoms;
  6. No severe aphasia, visual or auditory impairment, and able to complete the research protocol;
  7. Not using antidepressant drugs simultaneously;
  8. If using cognitive-improving drugs (such as donepezil, memantine), it should last for at least 3 weeks or more, and no dose adjustment will be made during the enrollment period;
  9. Voluntarily participate and sign the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Has a history of brain tumors, brain trauma, epilepsy or mental disorders;
  2. Had cognitive impairment before the stroke;
  3. Underwent craniotomy or had a skull defect;
  4. Had implanted metal or electronic devices (such as cardiac pacemakers, cochlear implants, deep brain stimulators, aneurysm clips, internal fixation devices after ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery, etc.);
  5. Has other serious diseases that may affect the study;
  6. Pregnant women

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Sham Comparator: the control group
The control group will undergo rTMS sham stimulation therapy combined with conventional rehabilitation treatment, using a sham stimulation coil.
Other: sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
The control group will undergo rTMS sham stimulation therapy combined with conventional rehabilitation treatment. They will use a sham stimulation coil, which means applying the same parameters and methods to stimulate the head. Although the sham stimulation coil has no difference in appearance and sound from the real stimulation coil, it cannot generate a real magnetic field to stimulate the brain.
Other Names:
  • sham rTMS
Experimental: The rTMS stimulation group
The experimental group will receive rTMS stimulation therapy, which involves applying high-frequency 10Hz rTMS to the patients' heads for 20 minutes, followed by conventional rehabilitation treatment.
Device: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
The stimulation site is the dorsolateral area of the left prefrontal lobe. The "8" shape coil is placed in contact with the scalp. The frequency is 10Hz, the repetition rate is 80% rMT. The stimulation lasts for 5 seconds, with an interval of 25 seconds. A total of 40 sets of stimulation are given, with a total of 2000 pulses. The treatment lasts for 20 minutes per day, for 20 days in total. A total of 20 interventions were completed. The experimental group will receive rTMS stimulation therapy, which involves applying high-frequency 10Hz rTMS to the patients' heads for 20 minutes, followed by conventional rehabilitation treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10, Day 20,Evaluate the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, fNIRS, Symbol-Digit Substitution Test, Shape Linking Test, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Digit Span Test, Stroop Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton
The total score of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) is 30 points. The normal cut-off score is usually ≥ 26 points. To correct for the influence of educational level, if the educational duration of the subject is ≤ 12 years, 1 point will be added to their original score, with the maximum score remaining at 30 points.
Baseline, Day 10, Day 20,Evaluate the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, fNIRS, Symbol-Digit Substitution Test, Shape Linking Test, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Digit Span Test, Stroop Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Qilu Hospital of Shandong University

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 (Estimated)

April 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 21, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 21, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • KYLL-2025-08-013-1

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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