tDCS-enhanced Working Memory Training in Subjective Cognitive Decline

University Hospital Tuebingen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Subjective Cognitive Decline

Treatments: Device: DC-Stimulator MC, NeuroConn

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03236454

SCDStim-1

Details and patient eligibility

About

This 2-armed randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind study aims at providing evidence for the efficacy of a transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)-enhanced cognitive control training (PASAT) in participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Overall, the study will include 30 participants. Each participant will take part in a four weeks training (12 sessions); 50% of the participants will receive 2mA anodal tDCS for 20 minutes applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the other half will receive sham stimulation. Event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by the feedback on the correctness of the response at baseline and after training will be measured with EEG as neurophysiological signatures of cognitive control. Near and far transfer will be assessed by a verbal 2-back task and the Trail Making Test A and B. The amount of worrying regarding the memory impairment will be quantified by means of a 10 point Likert-Scale. Together with changes of PASAT performance these measures will be obtained before and after the tDCS-enhanced training. Follow-up assessments 3, 12 and 24 months after training will investigate the stability of training effects.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Men and women, aged 60 years and above Native German speaker Subjective feeling of worsening cognitive abilities, including memory Present concerns regarding the subjective memory decline Right handedness

Exclusion criteria

• Present objective cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination < 24)
• Current depression or depressive episode (Geriatric Depression Scale > 5)
• Current substance abuse
• Presence of other psychiatric disorders (MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview)
• History of epilepsy
• Presence of other neurological disorders
• Absence of independent living skills (Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living, IADL) Scale)
• Metallic implants near the electrodes (i.e. pacemakers)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

anodal tDCS

Active Comparator group

Description:

DC-Stimulator MC, NeuroConn: 20 minutes of 2 mA anodal stimulation

Treatment:

Device: DC-Stimulator MC, NeuroConn

sham tDCS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

DC-Stimulator MC, NeuroConn: 20 minutes of sham stimulation; Ramping up over 50 seconds at the beginning and an equal amount of time for tapering off at the end;

Treatment:

Device: DC-Stimulator MC, NeuroConn