Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improves cognitive function of Alzheimer's disease patients

Junwu Zhao, Zhenguang Li, Yannan Cong, Jinbiao Zhang, Ming Tan, Haixia Zhang, Na Geng, Mengfan Li, Wenwen Yu, Peiyan Shan, Junwu Zhao, Zhenguang Li, Yannan Cong, Jinbiao Zhang, Ming Tan, Haixia Zhang, Na Geng, Mengfan Li, Wenwen Yu, Peiyan Shan

Abstract

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) acts as a kind of widely-applied and non-invasive method in the intervention of some neurological disorders. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigates the effect of rTMS on 30 cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) participants, who were classified into mild and moderate groups. Neuropsychological tests were carried out using the AD Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and World Health Organization University of California-Los Angeles, Auditory Verbal Learning Test (WHO-UCLA AVLT) before, immediately after, and 6 weeks after the intervention. In this work, data from 30 AD patients revealed that there was no obvious interaction effect of time-by-group. The ADAS-cog, MMSE and WHO-UCLA AVLT score in the rTMS group was significantly improved compared with baselines at 6 weeks after treatment (all p<0.05). Meanwhile, MoCA scores were also obviously ameliorated in the mild AD patients with rTMS. Besides, subgroup analysis showed that the effect of rTMS on the memory and language of mild AD patients was superior to those of moderate AD patients. In conclusion, our findings suggested that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improves cognitive function, memory and language level of AD patients, especially in the mild stage of AD. Thus, rTMS can be recommended as a promising adjuvant therapy combined with cholinesterase inhibitors at the mild stage of AD patients.

Keywords: AD; cognitive function; rTMS.

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1. Differences in ADAS-cog score at…
Figure 1. Differences in ADAS-cog score at each time point (baseline, immediately after, 6 weeks after the treatment)
There was no significant time-by-group interaction in spite of significant improvements in the treatment group. The red line represents the sham group and the green line represents the treatment group. *p < 0.05, v.s. baseline.
Figure 2. Differences in MMSE score at…
Figure 2. Differences in MMSE score at each time point (baseline, immediately after, 6 weeks after the treatment)
There was no significant time-by-group interaction in spite of significant improvements in the treatment group. The red line represents the treatment group and the green line represents the sham group. *p < 0.05, v.s. baseline.
Figure 3. Differences in MoCA score at…
Figure 3. Differences in MoCA score at each time point (baseline, immediately after, 6 weeks after the treatment)
There was no significant time-by-group interaction in spite of significant improvements in the treatment group. The red line represents the treatment group and the green line represents the sham group. *p < 0.05, v.s. baseline.
Figure 4. Differences in WHO-UCLA AVLT score…
Figure 4. Differences in WHO-UCLA AVLT score at each time point (baseline, immediately after, 6 weeks after the treatment)
There was no significant time-by-group interaction in spite of significant improvements in the treatment group. The red line represents the treatment group and the green line represents the sham group. *p < 0.05, v.s. baseline.

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