Intermittent theta burst stimulation

4 papers6 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

3 independent labs in 3 countries

Funders: Foundation for Physical Therapy and 4 more

Human trial4

Outcomes

Working memory accuracy

upin humans1

1 study

Intermittent theta burst stimulation improves working memory accuracy in humans.
“Accuracy improved for working memory following iTBS, with a right hemisphere advantage.”
Human trialdorsolateral prefrontal cortexn = 53
Task-dependent cognitive effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation across the adult lifespan
Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition10 Feb 2026

Reaction time

downin humans1

1 study

Intermittent theta burst stimulation decreases reaction time in humans.
“Brain stimulation reduced reaction times in attention and working memory tasks in all participants.”
Human trialdorsolateral prefrontal cortexn = 53
Task-dependent cognitive effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation across the adult lifespan
Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition10 Feb 2026

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

Intermittent theta burst stimulation improves cognitive function in humans.
“Patients with aMCI who received iTBS combined with COG had a significant improvement in cognitive performance, as assessed by the ADAS-Cog and N-back.”
Human trialin patients with aMCI14 daysn = 24
Accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation combined with cognitive training modulates cortical plasticity and brain activation in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Experimental gerontology19 Dec 2025

Cerebellar brain inhibition

no changein humans1

1 study

Intermittent theta burst stimulation has no effect on cerebellar brain inhibition in humans.
“Cerebellar iTBS did not significantly alter CBI.”
Human trialcerebellumsingle-sessionn = 40
Enhancing Balance Control in Aging Through Cerebellar Theta-Burst Stimulation
Cerebellum (London, England)8 Oct 2025