Therapeutic Effect of Direct Current Stimulation on Cognitive Function of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Patients
Condition: Alzheimer Disease
MeSH terms: Alzheimer Disease
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The current study is planed to compare the efficacy of real (anodal and cathodal) vs sham
      transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal
      cortex (DLPFC) on cognitive functions and cortical excitability of patients with Alzheimer
      disease (AD).

      Thirty three with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (diagnosis of probable
      AD according to the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative
      Disorders and Stroke Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association [NINCDS-ADRDA] were
      included in this study) were randomly classified into one of three groups (eleven for each
      group). The first group received anodal tDCS over left DLPFC and 2rd group received cathodal
      tDCS on the left DLPFC and the 3rd group received sham tDCS stimulation, daily for 10
      consecutive days (5 days/week for 2 weeks). Minimental State Examination (MMSE), psychometric
      assessment for cognitive functions (MMSE, Wechsler memory scale, Wechsler adult Intelligent
      scale) were assessed before, after 10th sessions, and then after 1 and 2 month. Cortical
      excitability was assessed in both hemispheres before and after the end of sessions.
      Neurophysiological evaluations included resting and active motor threshold (rMT and aMT), and
      cortical silent period (CSP).

      At the time of recruitment, none of the patients taking antidepressants, or neuroleptic,
      sedative-hypnotic drugs for at least two weeks before the assessment. All participants or
      their caregivers will give informed consent before participation in the test and after full
      explanation of the study protocol.

      Outcome: The real group received (anodal and cathodal) tDCS are expected to have more
      improvement on cognitive functions compared to sham tDCS group. tDCS is considered new
      adjuvant non pharmacological therapeutic tool for management of AD patients with mild to
      moderate degree dementia.
    


Intervention name(s): Direct current stimulation using Anodal electrode; direct current stimulation using cathodal electrode; Sham direct current stimulation
Intervention type(s): Procedure; Procedure; Procedure
Intervention description(s): 11 patients who received real anodal tDCS on the left DLPFC, 2 mA for 20 minute every day for 10 consecutive days; 11 patients who received real cathodal tDCS on the left DLPFC, 2 mA for 20 minute every day for 10 consecutive days; 11 patients who received sham anodal tDCS on the left DLPFC just for few seconds, 2 ma, every day for 10 consecutive days
Other intervention name(s): Direct current stimualtion (CX - 6650 Model TRCU - 04A Rolf Schneider Electronics, D-37130 Gleichen,; Germany).
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Alzheimer disease; Direct current stimulation; cognitive function; memory