The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on memory in cognitively unimpaired older adults and in patients amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study will use repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) to stimulate nodes of the Default Mode Network (DMN)- which is thought to support episodic memory and to be affected by Alzheimer's pathology. We will use functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) to assess changes in functional network architecture following the stimulation. We will also assess putative cognitive improvements resulting from the stimulation by in-depth memory testing.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
40
rTMS is a method to focally and reversibly stimulate a pre-specified cortical target. rTMS works through the principle of electromagnetic induction.
Massachuetts General Hospital
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
RECRUITINGPaired Associative Face Name Memory Test
A test of memory for face-name associations
Time frame: up to 5 weeks
Changes in intrinsic functional connectivity
Changes in region-to-region functional connectivity within the stimulated network will be assessed
Time frame: up to 5 weeks
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