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Episodic Memory Effects of Precuneus Gamma Frequency Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Randomized Multiple Baseline Study
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Description: Episodic memory decline is the prominent neuropsychological feature of typical Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), for which current treatments have a limited clinical response. Gamma oscillations have been previously shown to be critical for restoring AD’s pathology and cognitive effects, and gamma stimulation using light and sound in animal studies improves AD pathology and cognitive impairments. The precuneus has been recognized as a key area involved in AD related memory deficits, as patients exhibit cortical atrophy and abnormal activity in the precuneus during memory tasks. The present work asks the question, does gamma TMS stimulation delivered bilaterally at the precuneus improve episodic memory performance during the early to moderate stages of AD in terms of: primary outcomes of immediate and delayed wordlist recall measures; and secondary outcomes of (a) semantic memory (b) spatial memory, (c) attention and (d) executive function measures? The design is a randomized, multiple baseline design. Five patients with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease will be randomly assigned to one of five experimental baseline conditions with various duration periods and will receive a two-week 40 Hz TMS treatment. Data will be collected at pre-treatment, baseline, treatment, post treatment and after a three-month follow up period. The results of this study can provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy of a novel non-pharmacological treatment using TMS in addressing episodic memory decline in AD.