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Neuromodulation for Depression and Memory Loss in Older Adults

N/A

Recruiting

Research Sponsored by Hebrew SeniorLife

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

Contraindications to tES, as recorded on a standardized screening questionnaire, which include specific medical conditions and use of neuroactive drugs

Blindness or other disabilities that prevent task performance

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up change from baseline in category and phonemic fluency test at 3 month follow-up

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial seeks to explore if brain stimulation therapy can help relieve mood & memory symptoms in older adults with depression & dementia.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for older adults with major depressive disorder and dementia who can follow the study's rules, communicate in English, and have a caregiver over 21 years old to help. Participants must be able to see well enough and not have severe arthritis or skin conditions on the scalp that could interfere with treatment.

What is being tested?

The trial tests home-based brain stimulation therapies—transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)—to improve mood and memory symptoms in older adults suffering from depression within the context of dementia.

What are the potential side effects?

Potential side effects may include discomfort at the site of electrode placement, itching, tingling during the session, fatigue, headache, nausea or insomnia. These are usually mild and temporary.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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I don't have conditions or take medications that would make tES unsafe for me.

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I am unable to perform tasks due to blindness or other disabilities.

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I have an active skin condition like eczema on my scalp.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ change from baseline gds-15 total score at 3 months follow-up

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~change from baseline gds-15 total score at 3 months follow-up

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and change from baseline gds-15 total score at 3 months follow-up for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Secondary study objectives

Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM)

Category and Phonemic Fluency Test

Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD)

+8 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: tDCS prefrontal cortex + tASC angular gyrus in MDD in the context of ADExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will undergo 20 sessions of home-based tDCS over the prefrontal cortex and tACS over the left angular gyrus.These sessions will take place five times a week for four weeks, with one daily stimulation session of no more than 20 minutes. The participant's home will be the setting for the completion of the brain stimulation intervention, which will be delivered by trained caregivers/study companions/administrators.

0 / 3Eligibility criteria met