NCT04220593

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Associated With Cognitive Training in Alzheimer's Disease

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Associated With Cognitive Training in Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Trials, Triple-blind and Randomized

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Federal University of Paraíba · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 55 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive functions, interfering with autonomy and independence. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5), mnemonic dysfunction in AD must be related to aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or changes in executive function. The clinical picture of the disease can be described as mild, moderate and severe. In the mild phase, the patient is disoriented and with difficulties in thinking, in later stages memory lapses become more intense and frequent. The symptoms of apraxia, aphasia and agnosia appear, causing a noticeable impact on the performance of simple daily activities, and neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms are expressed. Existing pharmacological treatments for AD treatment are able to minimize the symptoms of the disease, but are not able to promote cure. Therefore, studies have sought to better understand non-pharmacological strategies, aiming at optimizing the benefits of using the drug. Studies have suggested that tDCS promotes significant effects on cognitive processes assessed through cognitive tasks, not only in healthy individuals but also in clinical populations. Cognitive training (TCog) has similarly shown excellent results in the treatment of cognitive deficits due to AD. Thus, the present study aims to investigate when (before, during or after) the tDCS should be applied to potentiate the effects of TCog in people with AD by comparing four protocols of application of neurostimulation associated with TCog.

Detailed description

It consists of a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The AETCC must be associated with the Tcog. Patients diagnosed in mild to moderate AD will be randomized into four groups: G1, aETCC before TCog; G2, aETCC during TCog; G3 aETCC after TCog and G4: simulated aETCC during TCog. Groups G1, G2 and G3 will receive the active current, while G4 will receive the simulated current. In each condition, an initial baseline assessment (T0) will be performed after 12 sessions (T1) and three weeks after the end of interventions (T2). The outcomes evaluated will be: cognition, executive function, functionality, neuropsychiatric symptoms and occupational performance. For all analyzes, SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences - SPSS Inc, Chicago IL, USA) for Windows, Version 20.0, will be used and considered as significant, an alpha value of 5% (p \<0.05 ).

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	tDCS associated with Tcog	2mA-intensity aETCC will be applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (CPFDL) region for 20 min, three times a week (every other day) over a one-month period, totaling 12 sessions. In each session activities aimed at stimulating cognition will be applied over the 20 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-11-25
• Primary completion: 2020-10-01
• Completion: 2020-12-01
• First posted: 2020-01-07
• Last updated: 2020-01-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil