NCT07038798 · RECRUITING
Deep rTMS for Mild Neurocognitive Disorder in Older Adults
This small study tests whether three different deep transcranial magnetic stimulation coils, a device that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain, are tolerable for older adults with mild cognitive decline. It also tracks memory and thinking tests, EEG brain activity, mood and sleep. It is an early feasibility study, not a test of whether it works.
You may qualify if
- 60 - 90 years old
- Able to provide informed consent to participate in the study
- Subjective concern of mild decline in cognitive function over the past year
- Mild impairment in cognitive performance
- Preserved independence in everyday activities
- Independently mobile (e.g., participants must be able to get in and out of a chair on their own)
- Participants will be required to be on stable dosages of other psychotropic medications for at least 4 weeks prior to screening
You're excluded if
- Currently receiving treatment or subjective need for treatment for bipolar I or II disorder; psychotic disorder
- Active suicidal behavior
- Severe depression and/or anxiety
- Other neurological or psychiatric disorders accounting for the cognitive deficits
- Impairment in basic and/or instrumental activities of daily living
- Substance use disorder (other than tobacco use disorder) in the past 3 months before entering the study
- Traditional contraindications to rTMS: Intracranial or metal implants in the head or nearby regions, excluding the mouth, that cannot be safely removed; History of epilepsy or seizures; Active unstable medical condition (recent laboratory and neuroimaging alterations, delirium); Pacemaker and/or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators; current use of bupropion, treatment with equivalent benzodiazepine dose to lorazepam >2 mg/day
- People with severe literacy, visual, or hearing issues that affect the ability to engage in the interviews
- People with recurring migraines or headaches (weekly or more)
- Frequent dizziness/vertigo
- Individuals residing beyond the borders of the Greater Hamilton Area and its neighbouring vicinities
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 2025-10-06