Influence of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Challenge on Cognitive and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers in Healthy Subjects

Episodic and working memory processes are the most affected cognitive domains in Alzheimer\'s Disease (AD) and its early stage, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a unique tool to interfere with cognitive processes by inducing \"virtual and transient lesions\", mimicking those observed in MCI. It has proven repeatedly its capacity to interfere with encoding-retrieval memory task. However, to date, only few imaging data exist on the cerebral pathways involved in encoding memory task. Moreover, the stability of TMS effects over time remains to be investigated. If proven to be a stable interfering challenge, TMS could be used to investigate the potential restoring effect of new medication in AD. The study is the pilot study of a larger clinical trial which aims to prove the utility of rTMS as a potential model for prediction of clinical efficacy using a combination of cognitive and neuroimaging endpoints.