Evidence mapPaperPMID 40575244Full record

ReviewCureus2025

Exploring the Therapeutic Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Rochaknaveen Bains, Hamna Talha Peracha, Sai Harini Chandrasekaran, Kambam Sneha Reddy, Divyanshi Vijay Kumar, Ananya Prakash, Manjeet Singh, Misbah Kamal Khan, Shree Rath

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Rochaknaveen BainsPsychiatry, St. Francis Emory Healthcare, Columbus, USA.
Hamna Talha PerachaInternal Medicine, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore, PAK.
Sai Harini ChandrasekaranGeneral Medicine, Omandurar Government Medical College, Chennai, IND.
Kambam Sneha ReddyMedicine, Bukhara State Medical Institute, Bukhara, UZB.
Divyanshi Vijay KumarInternal Medicine, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College, Gujarat, IND.
Ananya PrakashMedicine, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, IND.
Manjeet SinghInternal Medicine, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, PAK.
Misbah Kamal KhanMedicine, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences, Nawabshah, PAK.
Shree RathInternal Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, IND.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by cognitive deterioration and behavioral symptoms, significantly impacting patients and caregivers. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), including agitation, depression, and apathy, are common in AD and complicate its management. Conventional treatments, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and antipsychotics, offer limited benefits and often carry adverse effects. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive neuromodulatory technique, has emerged as a promising alternative by modulating cortical excitability and promoting neuroplasticity. This narrative review aims to evaluate the current literature on the therapeutic effects of rTMS in AD, with a focus on its impact on cognitive function and behavioral symptoms. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with quality assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Findings indicate that high-frequency rTMS can improve memory, language, and executive functions, while also reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation and depression. Mechanistically, rTMS appears to influence cortical plasticity, neurotransmitter regulation, and neurotrophic factor expression. Despite these encouraging outcomes, heterogeneity in study design, stimulation protocols, and patient populations limit generalizability. Further research through large-scale, standardized, multicentric trials is necessary to confirm its efficacy and define optimal therapeutic parameters. In conclusion, rTMS holds promise as an adjunctive intervention in AD, potentially improving cognitive and behavioral outcomes while offering a favorable safety profile.

Indexed as

alzheimer's diseasebehavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (bpsd)non-pharmacological interventionsrepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rtms)theta burst stimulation (tbs)

Identifiers

PMID40575244
PMCPMC12199537

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.