This project will investigate the safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of depression among patients with Alzheimer's disease. The investigators aim to ameliorate depressive symptoms among patient with Alzheimer's disease, by anodal stimulation on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cathodal suppression on right supraorbital area. Active stimulation will be compare to sham condition in 20 patients (10 in each groups).
This project will investigate the safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of depression among patients with Alzheimer's disease. tDCS causes an excitatory effect on the anode side and suppressing effect on the cathode side through sculp with very week currents (2 mA in this project). The investigators aim to ameliorate depressive symptoms among patient with Alzheimer's disease, by anodal stimulation on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cathodal suppression on right supraorbital area. Active stimulation will be compare to sham condition in 20 patients (10 in each groups) from outpatient clinic in National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
4
National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
Attrition rate due to any adverse event
Time frame: three weeks
Rate of adverse events related to tDCS procedure
Time frame: three weeks
Geriatric Depression Scale
a subjective scale for depressive symptoms
Time frame: one week, two weeks, three weeks, five weeks (followup)
Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia
a objective scale for depressive symptoms
Time frame: two weeks, three weeks, five weeks (followup)
Neuropsychiatric Inventory
a objective scale for neuropsychiatric symptoms
Time frame: three weeks, five weeks (followup)
Zarit Burden Interview
a subjective scale for caregivers' burden
Time frame: three weeks, five weeks (followup)
Clinical Global Impression of Improvement
Clinician-rated impression of improvement
Time frame: one, two, three and five weeks (followup)
Starkstein Apathy Scale
a subjective scale for apathy
Time frame: two, three and five weeks (followup)
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