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Functional connectivity-guided rTMS for personalized treatment of apathy

Project Overview

Nearly half the people affected with Alzheimer’s disease will at some point show reduced motivation to perform their daily activities or participate in activities they previously enjoyed. They may also show fewer emotions or self-initiative in their daily lives. Such a reduction in behavior is termed as apathy and affects both the individual and their care partner. it also leads to greater dependence and is linked to faster disease progression. Apathy can be improved in some people with social support when it is mild, and with a medication that improves motivation when it is moderate. However, the majority of individuals do not respond to those treatments. A new approach to treat apathy involves stimulating the brain externally with a magnet, which has shown promise in improving symptoms; however, the results tend to be variable. This may be due to each person’s brain and the pathways that are linked to motivation being unique. In this study, magnetic stimulation will be guided by each individual’s own brain scan to target their motivation network. This approach is highly effective for depression, even when it does not respond to any other medication. Participants will undergo an MRI scan to determine a personalized location of stimulation on their head, which shows a connected pathway to their motivation network. In this study, participants with receive personalized magnetic stimulation (or sham) for 20 minutes per session for ten sessions over two weeks. It is expected that this approach will potentially lead to a rapid, precise and highly effective treatment for apathy in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Principal Investigator

Shankar Tumatti , Sunnybrook Research Institute

Partners and Donors

Alzheimer's Association

Project Ongoing

Functional connectivity-guided rTMS for personalized treatment of apathy

  • Grant Type

    Capacity building grants

  • Area of research

    Neurodegeneration

  • Disease Area

    Alzheimer’s

  • Competition

    Alzheimer’s Association International Grant Program

  • Province

    Ontario

  • Start Date

    2024

  • Total Grant Amount

    $199,392

  • Health Canada Contribution

    $81,542