Home-Based Brain Stimulation for Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome

NCT ID: NCT06821568

Last Updated: 2025-09-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 128 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-02
• Study Completion Date: 2029-06-30

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to determine the effects of a 6-month, home-based personalized transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on cognitive function, dual task standing and walking, and other metrics of mobility in older adults with motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR).

Detailed Description

In older adults, motoric cognitive risk (MCR) is a pre-dementia transition state between "normal" aging and dementia. MCR is associated with impaired function within several brain networks that causes numerous symptoms including loss of memory, the ability to complete complex mental tasks, and the capacity to control one's walking and thus avoid falling and fall-related injuries. This study seeks to assess the short-term and long-term use of an investigational device called a transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

tDCS is a noninvasive technology that enables selective modulation of brain network function, to provide multi-symptom relief to older adults with MCR. By using state-of-the-art technology to 1) utilize a personalized tDCS intervention via an established optimization approach using individual brain MRIs, and 2) complete stimulation in a home-based setting, this study is expected to result in the development of tDCS interventions that have maximal impact on daily life function within this population.

In this study, investigators will conduct a 9-month sham-controlled, double-blinded, multi-site trial in 128 older adults aged 65-90 years old with MCR. All enrolled participants will complete an open-label 2-week, 10-session tDCS intervention. During the open-label phase of the study, all participants will receive active tDCS. Then, participants will be randomly assigned into either the tDCS arm that receives five weekly tDCS sessions for 6 months, or a combination arm of five weekly tDCS sessions for 3 months before or after five weekly sessions of sham for 3 months. Sham treatment is similar to the study tDCS treatment, but omits the key therapeutic element of the treatment being studied. Participants in the combination arm will not know whether they are receiving tDCS or sham during the first or second 3-month period. Enrolled participants will complete assessments relating to cognition, mood, balance, and memory at baseline, after the 2-week open-label phase, after 3 and 6 months of tDCS, and again 3 months later. Once a week, participants will also complete a gait (walking) assessment at home. MRI scans will be performed at baseline and after completing 3 months of tDCS.

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias; Cognition; Mobility Disability

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

Personalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

After an initial open-label 2-week home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention, participants will receive 5 weekly home-based tDCS sessions for 6 months. Baseline MRIs will enable personalization of tDCS via current flow modeling for optimization to each participant with the goal of generating an average electric field of 0.25 V/m within their identified left dlPFC. The direct current delivered by any one electrode will not exceed 2.0 mA and the total amount of current from all electrodes will not exceed 4 mA. Each 20-minute session will begin and end with a 60-second ramp up/down of current amplitude to maximize comfort.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Personalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) tailored to target the left dlPFC.

Combination Arm; Sham Plus Personalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

After an initial open-label 2-week home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention, participants will receive a combination arm of five weekly tDCS sessions for 3 months before or after five weekly sessions of sham for 3 months. The investigators will use an active sham in which very low-level currents (0.5 mA total) will be transferred between electrodes in close proximity on the scalp throughout the entire 20-minute session. This intervention will be optimized to each participant to deliver currents designed to not significantly influence their cortical tissue, but still mimic the cutaneous sensations induced by tDCS. Participants in the combination arm will not know whether they are receiving tDCS or sham during the first or second 3-month period.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Personalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) tailored to target the left dlPFC.

Active-Sham

Intervention Type: OTHER

Stimulation administered in very low-level currents (0.5 mA total) designed to not significantly influence cortical tissue, but still mimic the cutaneous sensations induced by tDCS.

Interventions

Personalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) tailored to target the left dlPFC.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Active-Sham

Stimulation administered in very low-level currents (0.5 mA total) designed to not significantly influence cortical tissue, but still mimic the cutaneous sensations induced by tDCS.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women
• Age 65-90 years
• Subjective cognitive complaints as defined by a 'Yes' response to "Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most?" or a 'No' response to "is your mind as clear as it used to be?"
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score ≥21
• Slow gait speed as measured by averaging two 4-Meter walks and defined as a usual walking speed one standard deviation below age and sex-adjusted means.
• Absence of significant disability as defined by the ability to walk over the instrumented gait mat unassisted (e.g., able to walk without any walking aids for at least 2 minutes non-stop) and preserved activities of daily living as defined by a score of less than 9 on the Functional Activities Questionnaire.
• Identification of an eligible informant
• Identification of a willing and able tDCS-administrator; i.e., a study partner to lead the administration of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
• Access to reliable WiFi in the participant's home

Exclusion Criteria

• Formal education less than the 8th grade
• Previous physician diagnosis of dementia
• Any current diagnosis of a major psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder)
• Evidence of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms defined by a score of ≥9 on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale
• History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness
• History of fainting spells of unknown or undetermined etiology that might constitute seizures
• History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, or immediate (first-degree relative) family history of epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist
• Hospitalization within the past three months due to acute illness, or as the result of a musculoskeletal injury significantly affecting gait or balance
• Any unstable medical condition or chronic (particularly) uncontrolled medical conditions that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.) or study complication
• Substance use disorders within the past six months
• A hairstyle or headdress that prevents electrode contact with the scalp or would interfere with the stimulation (for example thick braids, hair weave, afro, wig)
• Chronic vertigo
• Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• Active cancer for which chemo-/radiation therapy is being received
• Legal blindness
• Visual hallucinations (history or self-report)
• Pacemaker
• Contraindications to MRI or tDCS, including unprovoked seizure within the past two years, risk of ferromagnetic objects anywhere in the body, self-reported presence of specific implanted medical devices (e.g., deep brain stimulator, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, pacemaker, etc.), the presence of any active dermatological condition, such as eczema, on the scalp, etc. as outlined by current recommendations for noninvasive brain stimulation endorsed by the International Federation for Clinical Neurophysiology.
• History of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), often an early sign of Parkinson's disease
• Medications and medical history will be reviewed by the responsible covering physician and a decision about inclusion will be made based on the participant's past medical history, drug dose, history of recent medication changes or duration of treatment, and combination with other CNS active drugs.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 90 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Tel Aviv Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Hebrew SeniorLife

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Brad Manor

Associate Scientist

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Brad Manor, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Hebrew SeniorLife

Jeff Hausdorff, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Locations

Hebrew Rehabilitation Center

Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Tel Aviv, , Israel

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States; Israel

Central Contacts

Katie Baldyga, BA

Role: CONTACT

Kathrynbaldyga@hsl.harvard.edu

617-971-5380

Juhi Salecha, MS

Role: CONTACT

JuhiSalecha@hsl.harvard.edu

617-971-5398

Facility Contacts

Katie Baldyga, BA

Role: primary

Kathrynbaldyga@hsl.harvard.edu

617-971-5380

Juhi Salecha, MS

Role: backup

JuhiSalecha@hsl.harvard.edu

617-971-5398

Marina Brozgol

Role: primary

marinab@tlvmc.gov.il

Other Identifiers

1R01AG081349-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

00072642

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id