NCT06936124 · RECRUITING
Deep Brain Stimulation of the Pedunculopontine Nucleus for Alzheimer's Disease
This early study tests whether deep brain stimulation, a surgically implanted electrode that delivers mild electrical pulses to a deep brain area called the pedunculopontine nucleus, is safe and doable over 12 months in people with mild Alzheimer's. It also looks at whether it boosts gamma brain waves and affects memory and thinking. It is a small first-step study, not proven or approved.
You may qualify if
- Adults over 60 years old.
- Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease: Satisfied the diagnostic criteria of the National Institute of Aging - Alzheimer's Association criteria for probable AD.
- Clinical dementia rating scale global score of ≤ 1.
- Not taking an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and/or memantine, or taking a stable dose for at least six months.
- Fluent in English.
- Caregiver available to participate in the study.
You're excluded if
- Pre-existing structural brain abnormalities (e.g., significant white matter disease, tumor, infarction, or intracranial hematoma).
- Other neurologic or psychiatric diagnoses, or medical comorbidities that would preclude patients from undergoing surgery.
- Non-fluent in English (it will be very difficult to conduct standard cognitive tests in English on non-fluent English speakers. In addition, language barrier is significant hurdle in providing standard care with communication and cognition being a main outcome measure).
The sponsor's own eligibility wording, lightly reformatted. The study team makes the final eligibility decision — worth discussing with your doctor.
Eligibility criteria as of 2025-05-01