Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Alzheimer's Disease

Overseen By Thiago Macedo e Cordeiro, MD, MSc

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Disqualifiers: Unstable conditions, Epilepsy, Dementia, Suicidal risk, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

Duration: 5 weeks

24 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants have stable doses of their medications for at least one month, so you should not stop taking your current medications if they are stable.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for Alzheimer's Disease?

Research shows that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve memory and cognitive function in people with Alzheimer's disease. Studies indicate that tDCS is a safe and promising method for slowing cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) safe for humans?

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is generally considered safe for humans, with no reports of serious adverse effects or irreversible injury in over 33,200 sessions across various populations, including potentially vulnerable groups like the elderly. ^{2 4 5 6 7}

How is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) different from other treatments for Alzheimer's disease?

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is unique because it is a noninvasive treatment that uses a mild electrical current to stimulate specific areas of the brain, unlike traditional drug treatments. It is being explored for its potential to improve cognitive function and delay cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients without the use of medication. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Participants will be asked to participate in this research study of a device that creates transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The researchers hope to learn if 30 minute sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improve such a mood or feelings in people with Alzheimer's Disease. This study involves the use of an investigational device called a tDC stimulator. "Investigational" means that the device has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food \& Drug Administration (FDA) for treating Alzheimer's Disease. This study will help find out what effects, good and/or bad, this has. The safety of this device in humans has been tested in prior research studies; however, some side effects may not yet be known.

Research Team

Thiago Macedo e Cordeiro, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease who are interested in a study involving a device that delivers transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to see if it can improve mood or feelings. The specifics of who can join are not provided, but typically participants must meet certain health criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

My condition is in the early or moderate stage according to the UHDRS scale.

I have someone who can be with me during my treatment sessions and help with surveys.

I am between 18-85 years old with Huntington's disease symptoms or a family history.

Exclusion Criteria

Have risk of suicidal behavior, defined as any suicidal behavior or suicidal ideation of type 4 (active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan) or type 5 (active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent) based on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) in the 3 months prior to screening (Posner et al. 2011)

Being an active participant in other therapeutic clinical trial

I am considered unable to give consent for myself due to my health condition.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions at home, supervised remotely, with in-person visits for MRI and imaging.

5 weeks

3 visits (in-person), multiple remote sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including assessments of mood, anxiety, and cognitive function.

1 week

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Trial Overview The study is testing the effects of 30-minute sessions using a tDCS device, which is still investigational and not FDA-approved for treating Alzheimer's. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the actual tDCS or a sham (fake) treatment as part of the research.

Participant Groups

Group I: Active TDCS treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The active-tDCS treatment will consist of a constant 2mA current applied during 30-minute sessions with a 30 second ramp up and ramp down at the start and end of the stimulation.

Group II: Sham TDCS treatment Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Sham-tDCS treatment will consist of the same montage but the electric current will be applied only in the first and final 30s of stimulation.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Lead Sponsor

Trials

486

Recruited

92,500+

Alzheimer's Association

Collaborator

Trials

103

Recruited

44,300+

Findings from Research

In a study involving 10 patients with Alzheimer's disease, anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (AtDCS) significantly improved recognition memory performance, while cathodal tDCS (CtDCS) led to a decline in performance.

tDCS is shown to be a safe and inexpensive method that could enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients, suggesting potential for further research on its use alongside other treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcranial direct current stimulation improves recognition memory in Alzheimer disease. Ferrucci, R., Mameli, F., Guidi, I., et al.[2022]

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe and noninvasive method that shows promise in treating cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

The review highlights the need for further large-scale clinical trials to better understand the mechanisms of tDCS and improve its application in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Potential of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Alzheimer's Disease: Optimizing Trials Toward Clinical Use. Pilloni, G., Charvet, LE., Bikson, M., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 34 Alzheimer's disease patients, both anodal and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) significantly improved cognitive function as measured by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) compared to sham stimulation.

tDCS also reduced the P300 latency, a measure associated with cognitive processing, indicating potential benefits in neurorehabilitation for Alzheimer's patients, although it did not affect motor cortex excitability.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A double-blind randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of cortical direct current stimulation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Khedr, EM., Gamal, NF., El-Fetoh, NA., et al.[2022]

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) significantly improved cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, based on a meta-analysis of seven studies involving 146 patients, with a standardized mean difference of 0.37.

Single sessions of tDCS were effective, particularly when stimulating the temporal cortex, while repeated sessions and lower current densities did not show significant benefits, highlighting the need for careful consideration of treatment parameters.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves Cognitive Function in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Cai, M., Guo, Z., Xing, G., et al.[2020]

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) significantly improved cognitive performance in healthy elderly individuals by increasing neural activity, as evidenced by enhanced P200 and P300 amplitudes during a working memory task.

Cathodal tDCS also showed potential benefits for Alzheimer's disease patients, increasing P200 amplitude and frontal theta activity, suggesting that tDCS can modulate neural function differently based on the individual's cognitive state.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Behavioural and electrophysiological modulations induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy elderly and Alzheimer's disease patients: A pilot study. Cespón, J., Rodella, C., Miniussi, C., et al.[2020]

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to be safe, with no reports of Serious Adverse Effects or irreversible injuries across over 33,200 sessions involving more than 1,000 subjects, including vulnerable populations.

Safety assessments indicate that the current densities used in conventional tDCS (≤4 milliamperes) are significantly lower than those that could potentially cause brain injury, suggesting that tDCS protocols are well within safe limits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Evidence Based Update 2016. Bikson, M., Grossman, P., Thomas, C., et al.[2022]

A systematic review of 64 studies involving 2262 participants found that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has a low dropout rate (6% for active and 7.2% for sham), indicating good acceptability among participants.

Despite the low dropout rates, many studies inadequately reported adverse events (AEs), highlighting a need for improved guidelines to standardize AE reporting in tDCS research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Systematic Review on the Acceptability and Tolerability of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Treatment in Neuropsychiatry Trials. Aparício, LVM., Guarienti, F., Razza, LB., et al.[2018]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcranial direct current stimulation improves recognition memory in Alzheimer disease. [2022]

2. Korea (South) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Potential of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Alzheimer's Disease: Optimizing Trials Toward Clinical Use. [2022]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A double-blind randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of cortical direct current stimulation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves Cognitive Function in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: A Meta-Analysis. [2020]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Behavioural and electrophysiological modulations induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy elderly and Alzheimer's disease patients: A pilot study. [2020]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Evidence Based Update 2016. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Systematic Review on the Acceptability and Tolerability of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Treatment in Neuropsychiatry Trials. [2018]