Synergistic modulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus enhances cognitive recovery in mild cognitive impairment: A multimodal neuroimaging study
Published October 20, 2026. People receiving sequential stimulation of two cognitive-network targets improved more on several short-term cognitive measures than people receiving stimulation at one target. Because both groups received active treatment and the accessible abstract does not describe randomization, masking or follow-up after the 10-day course, this is a promising protocol-comparison result rather than proof of benefit over no stimulation.
Guo Z, Chen W, Xie J, Pu Y, Yang H, Mu Q.
Neural Regeneration Research · Publication date: 2026-10-20
Added to site: 2026-10-21
DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrronline-d-26-00876
Published online October 20, 2026. Added to Neurofeedback.com October 21, 2026.
- Modalities
- rTMS, Multisite stimulation, Neuroimaging
- Clinical focus
- Mild cognitive impairment, Cognition, Network-informed targeting
- Population
- People with mild cognitive impairment
- Sample
- 101 completers: 50 single-site and 51 multisite
- Intervention / method
- Ten days of rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alone or sequentially over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precuneus
- Comparator
- Multisite active rTMS versus single-site active rTMS; no sham or no-treatment arm
Clinician summary
Multisite treatment favored single-site treatment for MMSE (group-by-time F(99)=25.08, p<.001), MoCA (F(99)=6.17, p=.015), immediate verbal recall (F(99)=6.03, p=.016) and animal fluency (F(99)=8.13, p=.005). Broader MRI changes and correlations with cognitive change were reported, but the associations do not establish mediation or neural repair.
How to interpret the findings
The abstract describes two active cohorts but does not state random allocation or masking. There was no sham or no-treatment control, the intervention lasted 10 days, durability and functional daily-life outcomes were not reported, and adverse-event details were unavailable in the checked abstract. Imaging associations are exploratory and noncausal.
Equipment and disclosures
The accessible abstract did not identify a device manufacturer. This summary does not attribute the equipment to BrainMaster or any vendor.
Funding and conflict details were not available in the checked abstract or retained PubMed record. No correction, retraction or concern relation appeared in the retained Crossref record; this is a bounded check. AI-assisted review.
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Summary prepared with AI assistance. Source verification does not imply an independent replication or a clinician's endorsement. Read our review method.