Can TMS help with Alzheimer’s Disease?

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder first identified in the early 1900s and remains the most common cause of dementia. It affects not only memory but also thinking, mood, behaviour, and the ability to carry out everyday tasks.

Common symptoms of AD include:

• Memory loss

• Disrupted reasoning and problem-solving

• Difficulty making judgements or decisions

• Challenges performing familiar tasks

• Language difficulties

• Changes in personality or social behaviour

• Loss of previously preserved skills

AD is progressive, meaning symptoms worsen over time until the individual eventually requires full support for daily living.

Alzheimer’s affects approximately 1 in 14 people over 65 and 1 in 6 over 80. Although far less common in younger adults, early-onset Alzheimer’s can occur in people in their 40s and 50s.

What causes Alzheimer’s?

Scientists do not yet know the exact cause of AD. However, brain scans and pathology studies show that neurons become damaged and disconnected due to abnormal protein build-up — including:

• Amyloid plaques (between neurons)

• Tau tangles (inside neurons)

As nerve cells die, areas of the brain shrink. Damage begins many years before symptoms appear.

Risk factors include:

• Age

• Family history

• Cardiovascular conditions

• Depression and mental health history

• Lifestyle factors such as smoking or low physical activity

Current Treatment Options

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. Treatments focus on symptom management and maintaining quality of life. These can include:

• Medications such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

• Mood-regulating medication such as antidepressants when needed

• Cognitive stimulation or rehabilitation therapies

• Environmental and social support

• Beta-amyloid–targeting antibody treatments for early disease (specialist access required)

However, treatment effectiveness varies, and there remains a strong need for therapies that support cognition and function earlier and more effectively.

How can TMS help?

There has been growing interest in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment to support cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) — a stage where memory changes are noticeable but daily functioning remains mostly intact.

TMS is a non-invasive, drug-free therapy that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate underactive brain regions involved in memory, attention, and executive function.

What does the research say?

• Nardone et al. (2012) reviewed early studies using rTMS in Alzheimer’s, showing improvements in specific cognitive skills such as action naming.

• A double-blind, randomised controlled trial in people with MCI found significant improvements in everyday memory after targeted high-frequency rTMS — with benefits still evident one month later
  (Marra et al., 2015).

• A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis involving 14 studies and 513 individuals with Alzheimer’s demonstrated significant improvements in global cognitive function and daily living abilities following rTMS
  (Wei et al., 2022).

• Research suggests high-frequency rTMS increases cortical activity and brain connectivity that would otherwise decline in Alzheimer’s
  (Weiler et al., 2020).

Across studies, beneficial results were most commonly seen with:

✔ High-frequency stimulation (10–20 Hz)
✔ Over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)
✔ Multiple sessions over several weeks

These findings suggest that:

TMS may help maintain cognitive performance and slow decline — particularly in the early stages such as MCI or mild Alzheimer’s.

Smart TMS: A new treatment approach in the UK

Smart TMS now offers a specialised TMS treatment protocol for Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment, targeting areas essential for:

• Memory

• Attention

• Language

• Executive functioning

The treatment is:

• Non-invasive and medication-free

• Delivered by trained practitioners

• Well-tolerated with minimal side effects

While not a cure, TMS offers a promising additional therapeutic option for individuals seeking to proactively support brain function and maintain independence.

Conclusion

Based on current evidence, rTMS appears to be a safe and clinically promising therapy for supporting cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease — especially when introduced early.

However, more large-scale trials are needed to confirm long-term benefit and identify which patients respond best. Research also continues to explore how TMS might complement existing treatments, including new antibody medications.

Smart TMS is committed to advancing this field by making TMS therapy more accessible for people experiencing Alzheimer’s disease or MCI, offering hope in an area where treatment options remain limited.

References

Weiler, M., Stieger, K.C., Long, J.M., & Rapp, P.R. (2020). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Alzheimer’s Disease: Are we Ready? eNeuro, 7(1).

Wei Z, Fu J, Liang H, Liu M, Ye X, Zhong P (2022). The therapeutic efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation in managing Alzheimer’s disease: A systemic review and meta-analysis. Front Aging Neurosci.

Nardone, R., Bergmann, J., Christova, M., Caleri, F., Tezzon, F., Ladurner, G., Trinka, E., and Golaszewski, S. Effect of Transcranial Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Alzheimer Disease: A review. International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012.

Marra, H. L. D., Myczkowski, M. L., Memória, C. M., Arnaut, D., Ribeiro, P. L., Mansur, C. G. S., Alberto, R. L., Bellini, B. B., da Silva, A. A. F., Tortella, G., de Andrade, D. C., Teixeira, M. J., Forlenza, O. V., & Marcolin, M. A. (2015). Transcranial magnetic stimulation to address mild cognitive impairment in the elderly: A randomized controlled study. Behavioural Neurology, 2015, Article 287843.

Liao, X., Li, G., Wang, A., Wang, L., Liu, T., & Wang, G. (2015). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as an alternative therapy for cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease: A meta-analysis. Journal of Neurology, 262(2), 364–372.

Rabey, J. M., Dobronevsky, E., Aichenbaum, S., Gonen, O., Marton, R. G., & Khaigrekht, M. (2013). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with cognitive training is a safe and effective modality for Alzheimer’s dementia: A randomized, double-blind study. Journal of Neural Transmission, 120(5), 813–819.

Lefaucheur, J. P. et al. (2020). Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Clinical Neurophysiology, 131(2), 474–528.