RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06733714

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

Sponsor

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Enrollment

40 participants

Start Date

Dec 2, 2024

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

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

Summary

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.

Eligibility

Min Age: 50 Years

Inclusion Criteria1

Healthy subjects over 50 years old, with cognitive complaints

Exclusion Criteria9

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

Interventions

DEVICETranscranial 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.

DEVICEDigital 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.