NCT07701785 · Medical University of South Carolina
Superior Parietal iTBS for PD-MCI
What this study is about
The goal of this study is to determine the whether a short-term, high-dose form of non-invasive brain stimulation (intermittent theta burst stimulation; iTBS) is a promising and safe treatment for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI).
View original scientific description
The goal of this study is to determine the whether a short-term, high-dose form of non-invasive brain stimulation (intermittent theta burst stimulation; iTBS) is a promising and safe treatment for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI).
Interventions
DEVICE
Accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) rTMS to right superior parietal lobule (rSPL)
Participants in this single-arm study will receive a accelerated course of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) over superior parietal lobule, which is identified with MNI coordinates from past studies. The stimulation will be delivered using a MagVenture MagPro TMS System with a butterfly, active cooling coil at 120% of resting motor threshold. Each participant will complete 3 consecutive treatment days, undergoing10 rTMS sessions per day (600 pulses/session), totaling 18,000 pulses across the study. Safety, tolerability, adherence, and feasibility data will be collected for the intervention.
Primary outcome measures
Serious Adverse Events
Time frame: Week 4, 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after stimulation sessions on Days 1-3
Number of serious adverse events experienced by study participants caused by the iTBS protocol
Feasibility of the study protocol
Time frame: Week 0 through completion of study (8 weeks)
Feasibility will be defined as the proportion of participants enrolled that complete all intervention procedures
Tolerability of TMS procedures
Time frame: Week 4, 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after stimulation sessions on Days 1-3
A questionnaire evaluating the presence and severity of commonly experienced side effects of TMS (i.e. headache, pain, scalp irritation, facial twitching, fatigue, fear/anxiety) within the past 24 hours and during stimulation. Ratings will be on a 6-point Likert scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 5 (severe symptoms).
Test-retest reliability of the Continuous Temporal Expectancy Test (CTET)
Time frame: Week 0 (4 weeks pre-intervention) to Week 4, Day 1 (30 minutes prior to intervention)
The CTET is a tablet-administered measure designed to assess sustained attention and distractibility. Participants will be shown a grid with black and white squares on a tablet that rotate after either a longer duration (target stimulus; 1070ms) or a shorter duration (non-target stimulus; 800ms) and must press the screen when they identify a target stimulus. Participants will complete 10 one-minute trials. Half of the trials are performed without a distractor present, and the other half are performed with an audio-video distractor presented on an adjacent laptop screen. The primary outcome is the distractibility score, defined as the difference in latency (in ms) to identifying the target stimulus between distractor and non-distractor trials.
Who can participate
This study lists these criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov. A study coordinator reviews eligibility during screening — this page does not determine whether you qualify.
Inclusion criteria
- 50-85 years of age
- Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease based on UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria
- Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) diagnosis per Movement Disorders Society Task Force Level II Diagnostic Criteria4 (i.e., scores ≥1.5 standard deviations below appropriate norms on 2 neuropsychological tests) as determined by a clinical neuropsychologist
- Stable on Parkinson's disease medications for 30 days (not expected to change through the course of the treatment)
- Has a caregiver willing and able to reliably complete a questionnaire focused on the participant's daily functioning
Exclusion criteria
- Claustrophobia or inability to lie supine in the scanner for an extended period of time
- Barriers to making contact between the TMS coil and the skin (e.g. braids that cannot be removed)
- Contraindications to MRI/TMS safety screening: This includes but is not limited to implanted medical devices (e.g., pacemakers), metallic objects or fragments, non-removable hair clips or piercings, and medications that reduce seizure threshold.
- Individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and/or active substance abuse disorder.
- History of significant or unstable condition/s or treatments for these condition/s that may impact cognition (as determined by the study investigators) such as significant cardiac (e.g. heart failure), infectious (e.g. HIV, urinary tract infection), or metabolic disease (e.g. labile diabetes), cancer (e.g. brain cancer, chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment), developmental disorder (e.g. autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability), or other neurologic disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis, moderate to severe brain injury, seizures).
- History of a seizure disorder.
Where
- Charleston, South Carolina
Collaborators
National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Related conditions & keywords
Frequently asked questions
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or procedures to determine their safety and effectiveness. Trials are carefully designed and monitored to protect participants while advancing medical knowledge.
Is it safe to participate?
Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. Trials must be reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the study. You can withdraw at any time if you choose.
Will I be compensated?
Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time, travel expenses, and inconvenience. The specific compensation varies by study and will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is typically provided at no cost to participants.
Will I receive a placebo instead of treatment?
When effective treatment exists, participants typically receive either the standard treatment plus the study intervention, or the standard treatment plus placebo. You would not be denied effective care. Placebos are primarily used when no proven treatment is available, or in addition to standard care. Your trial consent form will clearly explain what treatments you may receive.
Can I leave a trial if I change my mind?
Absolutely. Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
How long does a clinical trial last?
Trial duration varies widely depending on the study design and purpose. Some trials last just a few weeks, while others may continue for months or years. The study coordinator will provide specific timeline information during your screening call.
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov · synced Jul 14, 2026 · Source of record for eligibility and locations