Cognition And REhabilitation in Low-Grade Glioma (CARE-LGG)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognitive Brain Rehabilitation using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in patients with Low Grade Glioma: a proof-of-concept study
IRAS ID
345620
Contact name
Karen Jennings-Wilding
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Under review with ref no. 48765, ISRCTN
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
People with brain tumours often develop long-lasting problems with memory, attention, and thinking, which can seriously affect their daily life, work, and relationships. At present, there are no proven treatments for these "cognitive" difficulties. Patients and research organisations have highlighted improving cognition as a major priority. This is especially important for people with low-grade gliomas (LGG), who are often diagnosed at a younger age and live for many years with ongoing cognitive problems because the tumour directly affects brain networks involved in thinking.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses applied to the scalp to change how brain networks communicate. It is already approved for use in depression and chronic pain. rTMS has been shown to be safe and to improve cognitive function in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and mild cognitive impairment. Early research in brain tumour patients has also suggested benefits for recovery after surgery. This research programme has been designed together with patients with LGG to explore whether rTMS could improve cognitive function.
The project has three parts. First, people living with LGG will complete online cognitive tests and questionnaires from home. These results will be compared with healthy population data to understand the types and causes of cognitive difficulties in LGG. Second, cognitive results will be combined with brain scans to create maps showing which brain areas are linked to specific cognitive problems.
Finally, a small proof-of-concept study will test whether rTMS improves cognition. Fifty-two patients with cognitive difficulties will be randomly assigned to receive either rTMS or no treatment. Those receiving rTMS will have 12 sessions over four weeks, with follow-up assessments over three months.Overall, this research aims to better understand cognitive problems in LGG and to determine whether rTMS could become a future treatment option.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
26/WS/0013
Date of REC Opinion
26 Feb 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion