NCT03475446 - The Effect of tES on a Cognitive Training | Crick

Overview

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on a cognitive training in healthy elderly and memory impaired participants. In order to assess these effects different memory and attention tasks will be performed before and after the training as well as after 6 and 12 months.

As other studies have shown, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve the outcome of memory tasks in Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy older adults. Only few studies have investigated the effect of the combination of tDCS and a simultaneous cognitive training and to the investigators' knowledge there is no comparison of tDCS and transcranial alternating current (tACS) effects during a cognitive training or for different populations. With results from this study existing trainings can be optimised. In total 180 participants are planned to be included in this study. This number is based on a g\*Power estimation. According to this estimation the study has to include 153 participants. Regarding similar studies the investigators assume a dropout rate of 15% resulting in a total of 180 participants (60 AD patients, 60 MCI patients and 60 healthy older adults) This number should make it possible to find the expected mild effects reported in literature. A mixed-effects ANOVA model with the between-subjects factor stimulation (tDCS, tACS, sham) and the within-subjects factor time will be computed.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

65

Conditions

Memory Impairment

Interventions

real anodal tDCS healthy elderlyDEVICE

A neuroConn DC-Stimulator PLUS (neuroCare Group, Ilmenau, Germany) will be used for the real anodal tDCS in the group of healthy elderly.

real tACS healthy elderlyDEVICE

A neuroConn DC-Stimulator PLUS (neuroCare Group, Ilmenau, Germany) will be used for the real tACS in the group of healthy elderly.

sham tES healthy elderlyDEVICE

A neuroConn DC-Stimulator PLUS (neuroCare Group, Ilmenau, Germany) will be used for the sham tES in the group of healthy elderly.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 60 YearsMax age: 85 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Able to give their consent to participate in the study * Native or fluent German speaker * Normal or corrected to normal vision and hearing * Ability to visit the study location for 14 appointments Exclusion Criteria: * Acute neurological (other than memory impairment) or psychiatric disorders * Seizures * Magnetisable implants * High dose of psychotropic drugs * Drug or alcohol abuse * Participation in another study with investigational drug * tES in the 2 months preceding or during the present study * Severe head injuries * Skin disease * Caffeine 3 hours prior to training

Locations (1)

Klinik für Alterspsychiatrie und Psychotherapie UPD Bern

Bern, Switzerland

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Memory

The primary outcome is the change in memory performance.Therefore, changes in the MMS/MoCA score (scores: 0-30, higher scores indicate better functioning of global memory and cognition) and a composite memory score will be assessed. The composite memory score is calculated with the scores of the episodic, prospective and working memory tests.

Time frame: Pre-training (40-0 days before start of training)

Memory

The primary outcome is the change in memory performance.Therefore, changes in the MMS/MoCA score (scores: 0-30, higher scores indicate better functioning of global memory and cognition) and a composite memory score will be assessed. The composite memory score is calculated with the scores of the episodic, prospective and working memory tests.

Time frame: Post-training (0-40 days after end of training)

Memory

The primary outcome is the change in memory performance.Therefore, changes in the MMS/MoCA score (scores: 0-30, higher scores indicate better functioning of global memory and cognition) and a composite memory score will be assessed. The composite memory score is calculated with the scores of the episodic, prospective and working memory tests.

Time frame: Follow-up 1 (6 months after end of training)

Memory

The primary outcome is the change in memory performance.Therefore, changes in the MMS/MoCA score (scores: 0-30, higher scores indicate better functioning of global memory and cognition) and a composite memory score will be assessed. The composite memory score is calculated with the scores of the episodic, prospective and working memory tests.

Time frame: Follow-up 2 (12 months after end of training)

Secondary Outcomes

Mood

Changes in the subjective measure mood, assessed with questionnaire.