Using brain stimulation to improve cognitive control in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical study investigates the effectiveness of non-invasive theta burst stimulation (TBS) to enhance cognitive control in older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants will engage in a cognitive video game while their brain activity is monitored through a brain-computer interface (BCI) that detects cognitive engagement. The study aims to compare the therapeutic effects of closed-loop TBS, which adapts stimulation based on real-time EEG signals, against open-loop TBS and a sham treatment. The goal is to determine if closed-loop TBS can restore cognitive functions more effectively than traditional methods.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Older adults

  1. Ages between 60 to 90 years
  2. Good general health
  3. Normal or corrected vision
  4. Completed elementary school education or able to understand middle school level experiment instructions
  5. Self reports cognitive complaints
* Cognitively normal young adults

  1. Ages between 18 to 35 years
  2. Good general health
  3. Normal or corrected vision
  4. Completed elementary school education or able to understand middle school level experiment instructions

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Self-report of neurological or psychiatric diseases that could be contraindicated for TMS (e.g., personal history of epilepsy/seizure brain damage, history of fainting, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, current substance use disorder, etc.).
2. Medications that elevate seizure threshold (e.g., stimulant medication, high dose bupropion).
3. Factors hindering EEG acquisition and rTMS delivery (e.g., skin infection, wounds, dermatitis, unable to access the scalp of the participant (e.g., unremovable wig).
4. Current participation in amyloid infusion treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
5. Do not have the capacity to provide informed consent and does not have a Legally Authorized Representative.
6. Resting motor threshold below the power limit in the laboratory. (Will be check on the first visit)

Where it's running

• Health Discovery Building
  Austin, Texas, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: José del R. Millán, PhD — University of Texas at Austin
• Study coordinator: José del R. Millán, PhD
• Email: jose.millan@austin.utexas.edu
• Phone: 512-232-8111

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.