NCT04121156

High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

The Effect of High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) on Cognitive Function in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Randomized, Triple-blind, Sham-controlled, Pilot Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (actual)
• Sponsor: Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital. · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The study aimed to investigate whether high definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) could benefit global cognitive function and sub-domains of cognition (visual/verbal/working memory, executive function, attention, processing speed, language, and frontal lobe function), mood (depression and anxiety), and subjective memory impairment in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Detailed description

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a novel, non-invasive and safe neuro-modulating technique, has been developed as a new therapeutic option for neuropsychiatric disorders. It encompasses the induction of a relatively weak constant current flow through the cerebral cortex via scalp electrodes. Dependent on stimulation polarity, this results in a modulation of cortical excitability and spontaneous neural activity. Compared with tDCS, high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) is highly focal and can specifically modulate cortical activity within the region confined by its 4 x 1 ring of elctrodes, such that the targeted region becomes more amenable to neuroplastic change. Studies have suggested that tDCS improve cognition, including memory recall, verbal fluency and executive function. Yet, there is not HD-tDCS study on MCI. The purpose of this study is to examine whether HD-tDCS could benefit global cognitive function and sub-domains of cognition (visual/verbal/working memory, executive function, attention, processing speed, language, and frontal lobe function), mood (depression and anxiety), and subjective memory impairment in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Conditions

• Mild Cognitive Impairment

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	HD-tDCS treatment	2 milli Amp dose of HD-tDCS treatment for for 20 minutes, for 5 consecutive twice daily sessions
DEVICE	sham (placebo) HD-tDCS	Participants will receive sham (placebo) HD-tDCS for 20 minutes, for 5 consecutive twice daily sessions

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-09-30
• Primary completion: 2024-08-31
• Completion: 2024-08-31
• First posted: 2019-10-09
• Last updated: 2024-10-31

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan