Recruiting · registry status

Testing magnetic brain stimulation for low motivation

This early study checks whether a closely spaced schedule of magnetic brain stimulation is manageable and affects apathy in Parkinson’s.

Testing a treatment or activity · Study reference: NCT07399496

Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓

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Start (planned): 2026-09-15
Main measurements finished (planned): 2027-08-15
Study finished (planned): 2027-08-15

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No results summary has been confirmed in the registry records we imported. See connected papers below; we keep checking after recruitment ends.

Changes we have recorded

2026-10-11 — recruiting

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Papers connected to this study

No connected paper has been found yet. The tracker checks the growing library for study identifiers and registry-linked publications.

Who can join?

Ages 45 years to 85 years · Does not accept healthy volunteers

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Read all the rules for taking part

Sex eligibility reported by registry: all

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 45-85 * Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease * AES ≥37 * Stable PD medications * Caregiver informant available Exclusion Criteria: * MRI/TMS contraindications * Severe cognitive impairment (MoCA \<21) * Psychiatric disorders (bipolar, schizophrenia, active substance use disorder) * Seizure history * Acute suicidality as assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) or suicide attempt in the previous year * Pregnancy

Full study name & original research details

Official study title

Accelerated rTMS for Apathy in Parkinson's Disease

Original description

This single-site, open-label pilot study will evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) targeting the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) for apathy in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Fifteen participants with PD and clinically significant apathy will undergo six treatment visits over two weeks, receiving eight iTBS sessions per day. Outcomes include adherence, tolerability, changes in apathy (Lille Apathy Rating Scale), functional engagement, and neural target engagement assessed via resting-state fMRI and EEG. Follow-up assessments will occur at two and four weeks post-treatment.

Further description from the registry

This study is designed to explore a new treatment option for people with Parkinson's disease who experience apathy, which means loss of motivation or interest in daily activities. Apathy is common in Parkinson's disease and can lower quality of life, but current treatments are limited. Investigators are testing whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is tolerable, acceptable and can be used to improve apathy in patients with Parkinson's disease. TMS delivers brief magnetic pulses to specific areas of the brain that are linked to motivation and decision-making. In this study, Investigators will use an "accelerated" version of TMS, which gives several short sessions in a single day, reducing the number of visits required. The purpose of this research is to see whether this treatment approach is feasible, tolerable and and potentially effective at treating apathy in people with Parkinson's disease. If successful, this research study will hopefully lead to a larger study in the future where the efficacy of the treatments can be studied.

Conditions reported: Parkinson Disease

Registry records for this study

Records are joined using registration identifiers. Titles alone do not establish that two studies are the same.

ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT07399496 ↗ — RECRUITING; checked 2026-10-11
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT07399496 ↗ — Recruiting; WHO ICTRP processed 2026-09-07; checked 2026-10-11

Study type: Interventional
Interventions: Accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) rTMS to left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC)
Phases: NA
Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina
Start date reported by registry: 2026-09-15 (estimated)

Registry updated: 2026-08-27 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-03

Registry records retrieved 2026-10-11 (UTC). Individual records may have older updates. Recruitment and eligibility must be confirmed with the study team.

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Study locations

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Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Recruiting

Emily Laramie Study Coordinator · +18437923873 · laramie@musc.edu

Daniel Lench, PhD

Facility not reported

United States

Status not reported

The original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.