Cognitive Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults

Aging Clinical Trial

Official title:

Cognitive Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01611103
• Other study ID #: 15657-O
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 31, 2012
• Last updated: August 31, 2015
• Start date: June 2012
• Est. completion date: December 2013

Study information

• Verified date: August 2015
• Source: Johns Hopkins University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This research is being done to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve certain mental abilities. In this research, a 9 volt battery is used to deliver very weak electrical current to the surface of the scalp while participants complete cognitive tasks. Our aim is to find out whether tDCS will improve task performance in adults over the age of 55.

Description:

Participants enrolled into this study may be asked to do the following:

• Grant permission for the researchers to view medical records associated with their language/cognitive difficulties (if applicable).

• Complete a questionnaire, provide a health history, and take some pencil-and-paper tests of problem-solving and memory in order to verify eligibility to participate and to able to safely undergo the experimental procedures.

• Complete several tasks (i.e., saying words out loud, naming objects, drawing designs, remembering lists of words, searching for images or letters, and/or completing puzzles) based upon a number of cognitive functions such as language, memory, vision, processing, and perception.

• Wear electrodes that will be placed on the scalp with a large rubberized band. These electrodes will administer very weak electrical current (tDCS) from a 9 volt battery for 20 to 60 minutes.

• Participate in several study conditions. The exact conditions and their order will be randomized. Under some conditions, participants may receive active stimulation (tDCS) and under other conditions, they may receive sham stimulation.

• The experimental sessions will last approximately 2 hours and participants may be asked to have more than one testing session in a day or to return for additional sessions.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 43
• Est. completion date: December 2013
• Est. primary completion date: December 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 55 Years to 79 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Over the age of 55

• Right Handed

• Native English speaker

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of Seizures

• Any implanted metal device or pacemaker

• Appreciable deficits in hearing or vision

• Greater than 1.5 standard deviations below demographically adjusted means on cognitive screen

• Dementia or Mini Mental Exam below 24

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aging

Intervention

Procedure:
• transcranial direct current stimulation
delivery of transcranial direct current stimulation or sham stimulation for 20 to 60 minutes

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Department of Neurology	Baltimore	Maryland

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Johns Hopkins University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Cognitive Test Performance	Cognitive test performance by subjects will be evaluated upon completion of enrollment to determine if tDCS improved performance on cognitive tests	The average time frame is 2 hours	No