Supporting Episodic Memory With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Healthy Controls and Dementia Patients

University of Bern

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Healthy; Mild Cognitive Impairment

Treatments: Device: real anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); Device: sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03227185

3351

2016-02175 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Previous studies showed that anodal tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) improved episodic memory performance, indicating a possible use as an intervention for patients suffering from memory impairments. At the same time, only scant evidence (provided by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)) exists regarding the underlying mechanisms, thus hindering a more targeted application.

The present study aims at establishing a connection between the stimulation-induced change in episodic memory performance on the behavioural level and neurophysiological parameters. TDCS effects and the underlying mechanisms will be compared between different study conditions, receiving either real anodal tDCS or sham stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during an episodic memory task.

Enrollment: 55 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 85 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Written informed consent
• Right-handedness
• Non-smokers
• Native German speakers or comparable level of fluency
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion criteria

• Neurological or psychiatric condition (other than diagnosed cognitive impairment)
• Past head injuries
• Magnetizable implants
• History of seizures
• Current or life-time alcohol or drug abuse
• Pregnancy
• Skin diseases

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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55 participants in 2 patient groups

Real - sham anodal tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Session 1: 20 min of 1 mA anodal tDCS applied via 5x7 cm rubber electrodes over the DLPFC (current density: 0.028 mA/cm2). Additional ramp-up and ramp-down phase at beginning and end of stimulation lasting for 15 s. Electrodes remain attached to the participant's head for the duration of the encoding phase. Session 2: 30 s of 1 mA anodal tDCS applied via 5x7 cm rubber electrodes over the DLPFC (current density: 0.028 mA/cm2). Additional ramp-up and ramp-down phase at beginning and end of stimulation lasting for 15 s. Electrodes remain attached to the participant's head for the duration of the encoding phase.

Treatment:

Device: real anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Device: sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Sham - real anodal tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Session 1: 30 s of 1 mA anodal tDCS applied via 5x7 cm rubber electrodes over the DLPFC (current density: 0.028 mA/cm2). Additional ramp-up and ramp-down phase at beginning and end of stimulation lasting for 15 s. Electrodes remain attached to the participant's head for the duration of the encoding phase. Session 2: 20 min of 1 mA anodal tDCS applied via 5x7 cm rubber electrodes over the DLPFC (current density: 0.028 mA/cm2). Additional ramp-up and ramp-down phase at beginning and end of stimulation lasting for 15 s. Electrodes remain attached to the participant's head for the duration of the encoding phase.

Treatment:

Device: real anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Device: sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)