Donel M Martin1,2, Adith Mohan2, Angelo Alonzo1,2, Nicola Gates2, Oyetunde Gbadeyan3, Marcus Meinzer3,4, Perminder Sachdev2,5, Henry Brodaty2,5, Colleen Loo1,2,6. 1. Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia. 2. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 3. University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia. 4. Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. 5. Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 6. St George Hospital, South Eastern Sydney Health, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is currently no effective intervention for improving memory in people at increased risk for dementia. Cognitive training (CT) has been promising, though effects are modest, particularly at follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether adjunctive non-invasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS) could enhance the memory benefits of CT in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). METHODS:Participants with aMCI were randomized to receive CT with either Active tDCS (2 mA for 30 min and 0.016 mA for 30 min) or Sham tDCS (0.016 mA for 60 min) for 15 sessions over a period of 5 weeks in a double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel group clinical trial. The primary outcome measure was the California Verbal Learning Task 2nd Edition. RESULTS:68 participants commenced the intervention. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed that the CT+Active tDCS group significantly improved at post treatment (p = 0.033), and the CT+Sham tDCS group did not (p = 0.050), but there was no difference between groups. At the 3-month follow-up, both groups showed large-sized memory improvements compared to pre-treatment (CT+Active tDCS: p < 0.01, d = 0.99; CT+Sham tDCS: p < 0.01, d = 0.74), although there was no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSION: This study found that CT+Active tDCS did not produce greater memory improvement compared to CT+Sham tDCS. Large-sized memory improvements occurred in both conditions at follow-up. One possible interpretation, based on recent novel findings, is that low intensity tDCS (used as 'sham') may have contributed biological effects. Further work should use a completely inert tDCS sham condition.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: There is currently no effective intervention for improving memory in people at increased risk for dementia. Cognitive training (CT) has been promising, though effects are modest, particularly at follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether adjunctive non-invasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS) could enhance the memory benefits of CT in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). METHODS:Participants with aMCI were randomized to receive CT with either Active tDCS (2 mA for 30 min and 0.016 mA for 30 min) or Sham tDCS (0.016 mA for 60 min) for 15 sessions over a period of 5 weeks in a double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel group clinical trial. The primary outcome measure was the California Verbal Learning Task 2nd Edition. RESULTS: 68 participants commenced the intervention. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed that the CT+Active tDCS group significantly improved at post treatment (p = 0.033), and the CT+Sham tDCS group did not (p = 0.050), but there was no difference between groups. At the 3-month follow-up, both groups showed large-sized memory improvements compared to pre-treatment (CT+Active tDCS: p < 0.01, d = 0.99; CT+Sham tDCS: p < 0.01, d = 0.74), although there was no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSION: This study found that CT+Active tDCS did not produce greater memory improvement compared to CT+Sham tDCS. Large-sized memory improvements occurred in both conditions at follow-up. One possible interpretation, based on recent novel findings, is that low intensity tDCS (used as 'sham') may have contributed biological effects. Further work should use a completely inert tDCS sham condition.
Entities:
Keywords:
cognitive training; memory; mild cognitive impairment; randomized zzm321990controlled trial; transcranial direct current stimulation; treatmentzzm321990
Authors: Jiali He; Yiling Tang; Jingxia Lin; Guy Faulkner; Hector W H Tsang; Sunny H W Chan Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2022-04-19 Impact factor: 4.144
Authors: Lucas Borrione; Helena Bellini; Lais Boralli Razza; Ana G Avila; Chris Baeken; Anna-Katharine Brem; Geraldo Busatto; Andre F Carvalho; Adam Chekroud; Zafiris J Daskalakis; Zhi-De Deng; Jonathan Downar; Wagner Gattaz; Colleen Loo; Paulo A Lotufo; Maria da Graça M Martin; Shawn M McClintock; Jacinta O'Shea; Frank Padberg; Ives C Passos; Giovanni A Salum; Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt; Renerio Fraguas; Isabela Benseñor; Leandro Valiengo; Andre R Brunoni Journal: Braz J Psychiatry Date: 2020-03-16 Impact factor: 2.697