Association of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation with Digital Cognitive Training for Cognitive Remediation in Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT06733714

Last Updated: 2024-12-13

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-12-02

Study Completion Date

2027-03-01

Brief Summary

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BACKGROUND Cognitive decline in older adults, especially those who develop Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease, currently has limited options of pharmacological treatments, with modest efficacy.

Digital Cognitive Training (DCT) and Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) are two promising tools for cognitive remediation in this population. In this exploratory study, we investigate feasibility, tolerability and preliminary effects of the association of both interventions in older adults with cognitive complaints.

METHODS Older adults with cognitive complaints are being enrolled for this study, which comprises 5 daily sessions of 30 minutes of DCT using the BrainHQ platform while simultaneously receiving theta tACS (6Hz, 1.6mA) targeting the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex.

Detailed Description

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Our goals in this study are:

* To investigate the feasibility and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) adjunctive to cognitive training (CT) in a cohort of individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Subjective Cognitive Decline or Alzheimer's desease in it's initial phase (CDR 1).
* To assess the efficacy of this combined intervention in modulating cognitive function, as measured by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.
* To explore the underlying neural mechanisms of this intervention by examining changes in event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the N200 and P300 components, which are sensitive to cognitive processes and neural plasticity.
* To identify potential peripheral biomarkers in serum that may correlate with cognitive decline and response to the intervention.
* To determine whether the combined intervention can induce lasting changes in neurophysiological markers, as assessed by repeated ERP measurements.
* To examine the relationship between the observed cognitive improvements, alterations in neurophysiological measures, and changes in serum biomarker levels, with the aim of elucidating the biological mechanisms underlying the intervention's effects.

Conditions

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Cognitive Dysfunction Alzheimer Disease Mild Cognitive Impairment Cognitive Decline Frontotemporal Degeneration Dementia Dementia, Vascular Lewy Body Disease Beta-Amyloid GFAP Tau Protein

Keywords

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tacs nibs transcranial alternate current stimulation mild cognitive impairment MCI ALzheimer Cognition Elderly Older Adults Cognitive enhancement

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Outcome Assessors
A random 5 digits password will be given to the care provider. This password will make the stimulation device enter SHAM mode or true stimulation mode, without the care provider or the patient knowing which mode it will be in.

The SHAM mode has the Ramp up and Ramp down periods, so the participant allocated in the control-SHAM group will feel the effects of the eletric current on the scalp for some seconds in the begining and end of each session.

Outcome assessors will also not be informed which group the participant is allocated.

Study Groups

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tACS+DCT

5 daily sessions of 30 minutes of DCT using the BrainHQ platform while simultaneously receiving theta tACS (6Hz, 1.6mA) targeting the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

An alternate eletric current of 1.6mA in theta frequency is applied in the scalp, using two eletrodes (5x5cm). The eletrodes are located aiming for the left dorsolateral prefrontal Cortex area.

Digital Cognitive Training

Intervention Type DEVICE

Using a tablet, the participant will do exercises that were designed to stimulate cognitive domains, especially attention and memory. In this case, we use the BrainHQ platform.

SHAM+DCT

5 daily sessions of 30 minutes of DCT using the BrainHQ platform while simultaneously receiving stimulation with the device in SHAM mode (with Ramp Up, no current during the session period and Ramp down) targeting the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

An alternate eletric current of 1.6mA in theta frequency is applied in the scalp, using two eletrodes (5x5cm). The eletrodes are located aiming for the left dorsolateral prefrontal Cortex area.

Digital Cognitive Training

Intervention Type DEVICE

Using a tablet, the participant will do exercises that were designed to stimulate cognitive domains, especially attention and memory. In this case, we use the BrainHQ platform.

Interventions

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Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

An alternate eletric current of 1.6mA in theta frequency is applied in the scalp, using two eletrodes (5x5cm). The eletrodes are located aiming for the left dorsolateral prefrontal Cortex area.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Digital Cognitive Training

Using a tablet, the participant will do exercises that were designed to stimulate cognitive domains, especially attention and memory. In this case, we use the BrainHQ platform.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy subjects over 50 years old, with cognitive complaints

Exclusion Criteria

* Estimated Intelligence Quotient \<80
* Dependence on psychoactive substances (DSM-V)
* Severe psychiatric or neurological disorders
* Uncorrected visual/hearing problems
* History of syncope for an unexplained reason or seizure less than a year ago
* Previous stroke
* Use of anticoagulants
* Intracranial metallic prosthesis or cardiac pacemaker
* Any contraindication to performing tACS
Minimum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Alzheimer's Association

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Rio de Janeiro State Research Supporting Foundation (FAPERJ)

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Rogerio Panizzutti, MD, PhD

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Rogerio Panizzutti, Professor

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

UFRJ

Locations

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Clínica da Memória - IPUB / UFRJ

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Brazil

Central Contacts

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Rogerio Panizzutti, Professor

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +55:21-3938-5588

Email: [email protected]

Brunno Costa, PhD student

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +55 31996773008

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Brunno Costa, PhD student

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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38114820.3.0000.5263

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id