Exploring Memory Disorders and Emerging Treatment Methods, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy, traditionally used to treat clinical depression, is now being explored for a wide range of neurological disorders, particularly those involving cognitive impairment and memory disorders.
Dr. Joshua Kuluva, a renowned neurologist who has taught at prestigious institutions like NYU School of Medicine, UCSF/UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program, and Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, heads our platform's efforts to further develop TMS services for mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia, central neuropathic pain, and post-stroke rehabilitation. Our platform is one of the first to use TMS treatment for memory disorders and is pushing the boundaries of what TMS technology can do.
TMS has shown potential benefits in cognitive and memory-related conditions such as certain movement disorders and chronic pain syndromes, which often involve cognitive symptoms. Advances in TMS technology, including precise targeting aided by functional MRI (fMRI), have enabled stimulation of brain regions involved in cognition and memory, enhancing its therapeutic scope beyond depression. For example, TMS can modulate networks relevant to memory and executive functions by targeting prefrontal and other cortical areas.
While FDA approval and routine clinical use focus mainly on major depressive disorder, TMS is increasingly applied in clinical research and some practice for cognitive impairment and memory disorders associated with neurodegenerative diseases, movement disorders, and chronic pain syndromes. Key to expanding its use is technological improvements like MRI-guided targeting that allow modulation of brain circuits related to cognition and memory.
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, aiming to improve memory and cognitive function by stimulating regions such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, are among the neurological disorders TMS is being investigated for. TMS may also help with motor symptoms and cognitive problems in Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders. Neuropathic pain, which involves altered neural processing with associated cognitive and emotional symptoms, is another area where formal recommendations for TMS use have been made.
The Latino and Asian-American populations in California are expected to see their cognitively-impaired populations triple over the same 20 years. This alarming trend is particularly concerning given that the average cost for assisted living in California is $4,000 per month, with those suffering from cognitive impairments, like dementia, paying about one and a half times more. Advanced stages of cognitive impairment can be a significant public health concern and have potentially significant economic consequences for California's health care system.
If you live in northern California and believe you may be grappling with cognitive impairment, please contact our platform today. Our platform has recently begun using TMS therapy to treat mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, although it is not yet cleared for such use by the FDA in the United States. A patient undergoing TMS treatment for memory disorders reclines in the TMS chair and has a magnetic coil placed over their brain. The treatment consists of 25 sessions over the span of seven weeks, with the patient's cognitive abilities tested before and after the course of treatment to measure its effectiveness.
While the costs of treating cognitive impairment can be astronomical, with those suffering from cognitive impairment reporting more than three times as many hospital visits compared to people who are hospitalized for other conditions, TMS offers a promising non-invasive neuromodulation approach for a range of neurological conditions beyond clinical depression, particularly those involving disruptions of cognition and memory. Although many of these indications remain investigational or off-label as of mid-2025, TMS therapy holds great potential for improving the lives of those affected by cognitive impairment.
References: - Differential Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Pain and Mood Disorders, PMC, 2025. - Advances in TMS for Neurological Treatment, Number Analytics, 2025.
- Dr. Kuluva's research at our platform is focusing on using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for treatment-resistant mental health conditions such as mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia, central neuropathic pain, and post-stroke rehabilitation, expanding its use beyond depression.
- TMS therapy, due to advancements in technology like MRI-guided targeting, is being investigated for various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, dementias, Parkinson’s disease, and neuropathic pain, aiming to improve mental health, particularly cognitive function and memory.
- With the growing cognitive-impairment population in California, particularly the Latino and Asian-American communities, there is a pressing need for alternative, cost-effective treatments like TMS for mental-health and health-and-wellness concerns, such as memory disorders and chronic pain syndromes.
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