Transcranial direct current stimulation intervention in Alzheimer’s disease and its follow-Up

[ENG]Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as the prevailing type of dementia, marked by gradual memory loss and cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method used to regulate cortical brain function and has been explored as a potential treatment fo...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Meléndez, Juan C., Satorres, Encarna, Pitarque, Alfonso, Escudero, Joaquín, Delhom, Iraida, Navarro-Prados, Ana Belén
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repositorio:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/156596
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/156596
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Alzheimer’s disease
Delayed memory
Short-term memory
Transcranial direct current stimulation
Working memory
Descripción
Sumario:[ENG]Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as the prevailing type of dementia, marked by gradual memory loss and cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method used to regulate cortical brain function and has been explored as a potential treatment for cognitive impairment. Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of daily home-based active or sham tDCS on cognitive function in patients with early-stage AD and its follow-up after one month. Methods: The study involved a randomized, blinded, and controlled-placebo design, with 18 participants enrolled. The primary outcome measures were general cognitive function, immediate, and delayed recall, and executive function. Participants included in the study were randomly assigned to the anodal and sham tDCS groups. Participants were assessed before and after the intervention and one month after the end of treatment. The home-based intervention was applied for 5 consecutive days, daily. Results: The results showed a significant interaction between the active and sham groups; in particular, improvements in MMSE scores, immediate memory and delayed recall were observed at one-month follow-up in the active group. Conclusions: The positive effects of tDCS on cognitive function in AD patients observed suggest that tDCS may induce long-term neuroplastic changes, leading to sustained improvements in cognitive abilities