ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT04468932

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Record copied from ClinicalTrials.gov: Oct 10, 2026AI summaries generated: Jul 27, 2026

Cerebellar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Motor Control in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

About this page. This page shows the study's official ClinicalTrials.gov record ↗, with added help to make it easier to understand. We explain medical terms, highlight key details in plain language, and suggest questions you may want to ask the study team.

The record is periodically copied from ClinicalTrials.gov and may lag behind changes. AI summaries are checked by software, not a clinician.Read moreShow less

The official record is written by the study sponsor and published on ClinicalTrials.gov. It may not always reflect the latest changes. Before making any decisions, please confirm important information with the study team and your own healthcare team.

Where you see "AI summary", AI was used to create a plain-language explanation and software checked it against the source. It has not been reviewed by a clinician, so it may contain mistakes or leave out important details.

StatusRecruitingThe study is currently enrolling participants. Only the study team can say whether a particular person can join.

Study typeInterventionalA study in which researchers assign participants to one or more interventions, such as a drug, procedure, device, behavioural programme or other approach, to measure their effects.

Age40 years old to 85 years old

SexAll

LocationUnited States

AI summaryWhat this study is about, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

This randomized, triple-masked crossover trial tests cerebellar rTMS in people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Participants receive two-week periods of active rTMS and sham rTMS in alternating order, separated by a one-month washout; the study covers an eight-week assessment period. Outcomes include objective balance measurements, brain activity during balance testing (fNIRS), and speech samples.

What it is studying. The study tests whether non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the cerebellum changes postural control in people with PSP and whether motor and premotor cortical activity measured with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) differs after active rTMS compared with sham. The central hypothesis stated in the registry is that increasing cerebellar inhibition via cerebellar rTMS will reduce postural instability in PSP.

What the researchers hope to learn. Determine the clinical effects of cerebellar rTMS on postural instability in PSP by measuring center-of-pressure shifts and body sway; and examine changes in premotor and motor cortical activity with fNIRS after cerebellar rTMS compared with sham.

What this study is about

The study's own summary, as published on ClinicalTrials.gov. Underlined terms have a short explanation.

The objective of this proposal is to investigate the effect of non-invasive repetitive cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on motor control in progressive supranuclear (PSP). The central hypothesis is that augmenting cerebellar inhibition via cerebellar rTMS will decrease postural instability in patients with PSP. We will use functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine changes in motor and premotor cortical activity after cerebellar rTMS.

Interventions being studied

Being studied in this trial does not mean the treatment or procedure is approved or available for this condition.

Device: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Eligibility

The criteria exactly as listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Only the study team can say whether they apply to you.

Inclusion criteria

probable or possible PSP by the revised MDS PSP Criteria (Hoglinger 2017)
age 40-85 at time of screening
ability to understand and cooperate with simple instructions in English
ability to read at 6th grade reading level in English
ability to stand unassisted for at least 30 seconds and to be able walk independently with a walker
ability to refrain from new physical and speech therapy programs for the duration of the study
ability to remain on stable doses of any cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic sedative or NMDA receptor antagonists for the duration of the study
females of child-bearing age must perform a urine pregnancy test and be on reliable birth control during the course of the study

Exclusion criteria

other significant neurological or vestibular disorders
presence of electrically, magnetically or mechanically activated implants or history of injurious metal exposure in eyes, head, or body

Study description and what participation involves

The registry record has no detailed description beyond the summary above.

AI summaryWhat participation may involve, in plain languageShow ▾Hide ▴

AI-written from the registry record, not the study's own wording. May contain errors or omissions. Check the registry text on this page and the original record ↗ before acting on it.

After a baseline assessment participants are randomly assigned to start with either a 2‑week course of active cerebellar repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) or a 2‑week sham rTMS. There is a midpoint assessment, a one‑month washout, then a crossover to the other 2‑week period and a final assessment (four assessment days over an 8‑week period). Assessments include objective balance testing with posturography (sway and center‑of‑pressure measures), brain activity recording using functional near‑infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during balance tasks, and a speech sample. Participants must avoid new physical/speech therapy and stay on stable specified medications; females of child‑bearing potential will have a urine pregnancy test and must use reliable birth control.

How the study is structured. Randomized, triple-masked crossover study: each participant receives both active cerebellar rTMS and a matching sham in two separate two-week periods, with a one-month washout between them. Assessments (including posturography, fNIRS during balance testing, and speech samples) are performed on multiple days across the eight-week study period. The primary measurement is objective posturography (center of pressure shifts and body sway).

Questions you could ask

These questions are suggestions for a conversation with the study team or your own clinician, not advice.

The listed sites are in United States. Is any of them reachable for me, and does the study help with travel?
Which of the eligibility criteria would need to be checked with tests before I could join?

More on progressive supranuclear palsy

Clinical trials45 trials listed for progressive supranuclear palsyEvery trial the registry lists for progressive supranuclear palsy, with recruitment status, phase and sites, updated from ClinicalTrials.gov.See all trials →Research updatesWhat changed in progressive supranuclear palsy researchLatest monthly update: September 2026. Includes: PSP vs Parkinsons. New research summarized each month in plain language, with links to every source paper.Read the latest update →

Important dates

Study start: Jan 17, 2020
Primary completion: Jan 6, 2027 (estimated)
Study completion: Apr 20, 2027 (estimated)
Target enrollment: 30 participants (estimated)
Last updated on registry: May 29, 2025
Data verified: Oct 10, 2026

Sponsor and research team

The lead sponsor funds and oversees the trial. A pharmaceutical or biotech company sponsor typically means the study is testing that company's drug or device; a hospital, university, or government agency usually indicates investigator-initiated or publicly funded research.

Lead sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University
Principal investigator: Marian L Dale, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology, School of Medicine; Director, OHSU CurePSP Center of Care
Oregon Health and Science University
Collaborators: National Center of Neuromodulation for Rehabilitation
Collins Medical Trust
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

Central study contact

If you're interested in participating, the central contact can answer general questions about the study — including eligibility requirements and how to find a recruiting site near you. Actual eligibility is determined by the site's medical team.

Graham Harker 📞 5034182601 ✉ balance@ohsu.edu

Participating sites (1)

Oregon Health & Science UniversityRecruiting
Portland, Oregon, 97239 · United States
- Graham Harker · 5034182601 · balance@ohsu.edu

Terms used on this page · explanations by MedicalUpdates.ai

Inclusion Criteria: The conditions a person must meet to be considered for the study, for example a confirmed diagnosis, an age range or a test result.
Exclusion Criteria: The conditions that rule a person out even if they meet the inclusion criteria, for example other illnesses, certain medicines or pregnancy.

The study record on this page is reproduced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, where it was submitted by the study sponsor. MedicalUpdates.ai does not own this content, is not affiliated with or endorsed by ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH, or the U.S. Government, and does not verify the record. Plain-language notes, the glossary and the questions above are added by this site; text in the boxes marked "AI summary" was written by an AI model and may contain errors. Registry records change over time. Check the original record for the current version and discuss eligibility or participation with a qualified healthcare professional.

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