Accelerated rTMS vs. Sham for Stroke Apathy

Apathy is a common set of symptoms seen in many people following a stroke. Apathy occurs when a person has lost motivation, becomes withdrawn, and stops doing things that used to be important to them. Apathy has a large negative impact on a person's quality of life, and can also have a large impact the people who take care of them. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments to help with apathy, and other services like therapy may be difficult to access for people who have had a stroke. To address this problem, investigators are conducting a study to find out if a form of treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can be safe and helpful for people struggling with apathy after a stroke. This study will apply a new form of rTMS which can be delivered quickly to a part of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). This study will help establish whether this treatment is safe, comfortable, and effective for people with apathy after a stroke, and will help researchers develop new forms of treatment.

NCT Number	NCT07113067
Lead Sponsor	Medical University of South Carolina
Conditions	Apathy, Stroke, Stroke Sequelae, Stroke/Brain Attack, Stroke/ Cerebrovascular Accident (Ischemic or Hemorrhagic), Motivation, Abulia
Enrollment	40 participants
Start Date	2025-08-08
Primary Completion	2027-06-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-06-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-07-08