rTMS for Apathy Clinical Trial (REACT)

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Apathy in Dementia; Alzheimer Disease; Mild Cognitive Impairment; Mild Behavioural Impairment; Neurocognitive Disorders; Dementia

Treatments: Drug: methylphenidate; Device: rTMS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05561205

SUN-5342

Details and patient eligibility

About

Apathy is a common, early, and disabling symptom in dementias and mild behavioural impairment such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is characterized by lack of interest and enthusiasm. Both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a form of non-invasive brain stimulation, and methylphenidate, a medication, have been shown to improve apathy. This pilot study will investigate rTMS as a treatment for apathy in neurocognitive disorders and mild behavioural impairment in individuals receiving methylphenidate and individuals not receiving medication for apathy.

Enrollment: 10 estimated patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• mild or major neurocognitive disorder OR mild behavioural impairment
• Apathy for at least 4 weeks
• Stable dose of medication (>4 weeks) that may affect cognition or behaviour
• Care partner who spends at least 10 hours a week with the subject

Exclusion criteria

• Current major depressive episode
• Agitation, delusions, hallucination
• Medical contraindications to rTMS
• Currently taking an amphetamine product
• Central nervous system abnormalities, Tourette's syndrome, or motor tics
• Current participation in another clinical trial

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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10 participants in 2 patient groups

rTMS + methylphenidate

Experimental group

Description:

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and methylphenidate

Treatment:

Device: rTMS

Drug: methylphenidate

rTMS only

Experimental group

Description:

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) only

Treatment:

Device: rTMS