An interventional study of tDCS in Mild Cognitive Impairment, sponsored by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Completed at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to participants aged 60 Years to 85 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-02-02.
Sponsored by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Objectives: 1) To examine whether the real transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) group would perform better in the cognitive training (CT) intervention than the sham tDCS group and the CT group; 2) To determine if, as a consequence of the stimulation generated by the use of tDCS, there would be a transfer effect to other cognitive domains and to cognitive tasks in activities of daily living; 3) To investigate the time and spatial responses of tDCS on the brain cortex during and after tDCS application.
Hypothesis to be tested: By applying anodal tDCS with the combination of a CT delivered via the use of tablet PCs in older adults at risk of MCI, it will enhance their cognitive task performance in CT and subsequently generalize to other cognitive domains as well, involving a transferability to cognitive tasks in activities of daily living.
Design and subjects: A multi-centered single-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three groups (CT alone/Sham tDCS with the combination of a CT/ Real tDCS coupling with CT) The participants who will take part of this study will be older adults at risk of MCI Study instruments: tDCS, Ipad, Neuron Up CT Apps, EEG. Interventions: The intervention will last for 9 sessions (3 sessions per week for 3 weeks). Sham tDCS and real tDCS, will be combined with the same CT which is used in the CT group. During the experimental intervention, anodal tDCS will be placed on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathodal tDCS on the contralateral deltoid muscle with the combination of a CT. During the experimental intervention, anodal tDCS will be placed on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathodal tDCS on the contralateral deltoid muscle with the combination of a CT.
Main outcome measures: Cognitive assessments, CT performance, EEG. In addition, delta and theta frequency suppression and alpha increment power under the anode electrode will be observed.
The inclusion criteria will follow the modified Petersen's criteria:
Being independent in daily living activities.
Additional criteria in this study include:
Exclusion Criteria:
application of tDCS in combination with CT
Device: tDCS
application of sham tDCS in combination with CT
Device: tDCS
application of CT
Device: tDCS
Transcranial direct current stimulation
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
It is a 30-point test about several cognitive domains (visuospatial/executive, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall and orientation) and a screening tool used of MCI and dementia.
Time frame: 10 minutes
Digit Span Test
The test measures short term memory in such a way that sequences of digits are presented and have to be recalled in forward and reverse order. Testing ends when the maximal list length is reached or when subjects fail to recall the trial at one sequence length.
Time frame: 10 minutes
Trial Making Test (TMT)
TMT encompasses visual attention and processing speed, it consists of 2 parts in which a set of 25 dots in the first part and 24 dots in the second part have to be accurately connected. Time performance is measured as the main outcome
Time frame: 5 minutes
Riverhead Behavioral Memory Test (3rd edition) (RBMT-3)
It includes 14 subtests assessing aspects of visual, verbal, recall, recognition, immediate and delayed everyday memory. Additionally prospective memory skills and the ability to learn new information are measured as well
Time frame: 40 minutes
Cognitive training activities ( Neuronup cognitive training)
Performance of the cognitive training activities conducted every session
Time frame: 30 minutes each session ( 9 sessions in total)
EEG
time and spatial responses of tDCS on the brain cortex before and after tDCS application
Time frame: 15 minutes
Plan to share: Undecided
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University