Closed-Loop Brain Stimulation for Cognitive Decline

This study is looking at whether a non-invasive brain stimulation called theta burst stimulation (TBS) can improve cognitive abilities in healthy adults and older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). You would play a cognitive video game while a brain-computer interface (BCI) analyzes your brain activity. The BCI then delivers TBS using either a real coil (Closed-loop TBS or Open-loop TBS) or a sham (inactive) coil (Sham TBS). Researchers want to see if TBS can restore cognitive functions and if Closed-loop TBS works better than Open-loop TBS. The study plans to enroll 180 participants aged 18 to 90 years old. Success will be measured by your performance on the video game and cognitive assessments like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 180 participants. It compares three different ways of delivering theta burst stimulation (TBS): Sham TBS, Closed-loop TBS, and Open-loop TBS.
What's involved
You would perform cognitively demanding video game tasks. Behavioral performance and BCI accuracy will be measured up to 1 hour after the intervention, and cognitive assessments will be done up to 8 weeks after the intervention.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your cognitive abilities will be assessed up to 8 weeks after the intervention.

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NCT05907343

Closed-Loop Brain Stimulation as a Potential Intervention for Cognitive Decline

Recruiting
NAAges 18–90InterventionalTreatment
University of Texas at Austin
~180 participants
Updated 2026-04-29 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Sham TBSClosed-loop TBSOpen-loop TBS

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Behavioral performance of the video game task
Measured over Up to 1 hour after intervention
+12 more outcomes measured
Mild Cognitive Impairment
1 sites across 1 states
Texas1
  • José del R. Millán, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Texas at Austin
  • Robin Hilsabeck, PhD, ABPP · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Texas at Austin

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Cognitively normal younger adults
Cognitively normal older adults
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
  • Behavioral performance of the video game taskUp to 1 hour after intervention

    The behavioral performance, pressing or not pressing a button, reflects the level of cognitive control performance of the subjects. It measures whether the participants made a correct decision, and their response time, in a given trial.

  • Accuracy of the BCI classifier outputUp to 1 hour after intervention

    The BCI classifier output reflects the presence or absence of the cognitive EEG patterns elicited during the cognitive videogame tasks. For each participant, the BCI outputs will be compared to their behavioral responses (pressing or not pressing a button).

  • Cognitive assessment I: Montreal Cognitive AssessmentUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Telephone version, Score range: 0 - 22\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment II: Hopkins Adult Reading TestUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Score range: 70 - 131\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment III: Multilingual Naming TestUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Score range: 0 - 32\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment IV: Animal NamingUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Score range: 0 - 40\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment V: Number SpanUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    * Forward, Score range: 0 - 14\* (Units on a Scale) * Backward, Score range: 0 - 14\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment VI: Trail Making TestUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Parts A and B, Score range: 10 - 300\*\* (Units on a Scale) (\*\* high scores = worse)

  • Cognitive assessment VII: Southwestern Assessment of Processing SpeedUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Score range: 0 - 75\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment VIII: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-RevisedUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    * Immediate Total, Score range: 0 - 36\* (Units on a Scale) * Delayed Recall, Score range:0 - 12\* (Units on a Scale) * Percent Retention, Score range:0 - 100\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment IX: Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-RevisedUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    * Immediate Total, Score range: 0 - 36\* (Units on a Scale) * Delayed Recall, Score range:0 - 12\* (Units on a Scale) * Percent Retention, Score range:0 - 100\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment X: Controlled Oral Word Association TestUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    Score range: 0 - 80\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)

  • Cognitive assessment XI: Stroop Color and Word TestUp to 8 weeks after intervention

    * Word, Score range: 0 - 140\* (Units on a Scale) * Color, Score range:0 - 120\* (Units on a Scale) * Color-Word, Score range:0 - 80\* (Units on a Scale) (\* high scores = better)