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Cognitive ImpairmentNCT06665022

Neuromodulation Effects in Older Adults

A study testing Active tDCS in people with Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Decline, run by University of Florida at 1 site in United States.

Withdrawn

Withdrawn. The study stopped before anyone enrolled.

Official record
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Trial summary

The current study is a mechanistic study to evaluate working memory gains from application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in older adults with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) compared to cognitively healthy control Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 60 to 95 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive Decline
What is being tested?
Active tDCS
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
0 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
1 Dec 2024to 1 Dec 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 60 to 95 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 60-95 years
  • Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 18 and above (scores will be adjusted for education)
  • Able to receive electrical stimulation
  • Adequate motor capacity to participate in intervention and training sessions

Who cannot join

  • Contraindications to MRI recording
  • Left-handed
  • Inability to communicate in English
  • History of neurological/psychiatric disorders and traumatic brain injury
  • Incidence of stroke
  • Severe visual and hearing impairment precluding completion of study assessments

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Florida

    Gainesville, Florida, 32610

Other trials in United States

About this study

The current study is a mechanistic study to evaluate working memory gains from application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in older adults with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) compared to cognitively healthy control

Read the detailed description

The current study is a mechanistic study to evaluate working memory gains with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in older adults with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) compared to cognitively healthy control. The proposed study investigates the effects of acute (one-time) tDCS application on working memory gains (i.e., behavior and functional) by evaluating brain structure and cognitive function relationships. tDCS is a method of non-invasive brain stimulation that directly stimulates brain regions involved in active cognitive function and enhances neural plasticity when paired with a training task. A mechanistic, in-scanner, crossover design tDCS study (active and sham stimulation) with 2milliamps (mA) fixed dosing application will enroll 110 participants comprising 55 cognitively normal/healthy older adults and 55 older adults with MCI. The study will employ multi-modal neuroimaging (structural and functional data), person-specific computational models, and machine learning to elucidate acute tDCS effects on working memory. Change in cognitive function (i.e., working memory performance) will be quantified using working memory tasks and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The investigators will compare changes in working memory performance resulting from active tDCS versus sham tDCS during 2-back task compared to 0-back task.

The investigators will test the following hypotheses:

  1. Acute tDCS will increase working memory performance during active tDCS and larger degree of brain atrophy seen in MCI patients will significantly decrease current intensity in stimulated brain regions.
  2. Acute tDCS will significantly increase functional connectivity within the working memory network during active tDCS but not sham.

The present study will provide insight into mechanisms underlying tDCS application in MCI population for combating cognitive decline in a rapidly aging population in the United States. Information gathered from this study may guide future intervention strategies to combat cognitive decline and improve the quality of life of aging population.

Being tested
Active tDCS, Sham tDCS
Keywords
Cognitive Aging, Brain Stimulation, functional MRI, Computational Modeling, Finite Element Method (FEM)
Medical subject headings
Cognitive Dysfunction

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Active tDCSDevice

    A neuroConn MR-safe 1x1 tDCS stimulator will be used to apply 12 minutes of 2.0 mA electrical current, with 30 seconds ramps up and 30 seconds ramps down. The electrical current will be applied by using two carbon rubber electrodes (one anode, one cathode) with added ten20 conductive paste. The electrode+paste will be affixed on the participant's scalp over the frontal cortices at F3 and F4 location (EEG 10-20 system). Inflow of current (anode) will occur at F4 location, and outflow of current will occur at F3 (cathode). For each stimulation condition (active, sham), each participant will perform two runs of N-back working memory task (baseline/pre-stimulation and during stimulation). Sham efficacy will be evaluated as a direct comparison in N-back performance and connectivity results in active group versus sham group.

  • Sham tDCSDevice

    Sham stimulation will be performed with the same 1x1 device. Participants will receive 2 mA of direct current stimulation for 30 seconds with 30 seconds ramps up and down. This provides the tingling and prickling sensation on the scalp associated with tDCS while prevent delivering sufficient current (12 minutes) to penetrate the skull and stimulate the brain. Prep in sham conditions will be identical to active stimulation conditions. For each stimulation condition (active, sham), each participant will perform two runs of N-back working memory task (baseline/pre-stimulation and during stimulation). Sham efficacy will be evaluated as a direct comparison in N-back performance and connectivity results in active group versus sham group.

Study groups in NCT06665022
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Active tDCSExperimentalA neuroConn MR-safe 1x1 tDCS stimulator will be used to apply 12 minutes of 2.0 mA electrical current, with 30 seconds ramps up and 30 seconds ramps down. The electrical current will be applied by using two carbon rubber electrodes (one anode, one cathode) with added ten20 conductive paste. The electrode+paste will be affixed on the participant's scalp over the frontal cortices at F3 and F4 location (EEG 10-20 system). Inflow of current (anode) will occur at F4 location, and outflow of current will occur at F3 (cathode). For each stimulation condition (active, sham), each participant will perform two runs of N-back working memory task (baseline/pre-stimulation and during stimulation). Sham efficacy will be evaluated as a direct comparison in N-back performance and connectivity results in active group versus sham group.
Receives: Device: Active tDCS
Sham tDCSPlacebo comparatorSham stimulation will be performed with the same 1x1 device. Participants will receive 2 mA of direct current stimulation for 30 seconds with 30 seconds ramps up and down. This provides the tingling and prickling sensation on the scalp associated with tDCS while prevent delivering sufficient current (12 minutes) to penetrate the skull and stimulate the brain. Prep in sham conditions will be identical to active stimulation conditions. For each stimulation condition (active, sham), each participant will perform two runs of N-back working memory task (baseline/pre-stimulation and during stimulation). Sham efficacy will be evaluated as a direct comparison in N-back performance and connectivity results in active group versus sham group.
Receives: Device: Sham tDCS

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. 2-back Working Memory Accuracy

    The descriptive name of the scale is 2-back Working Memory Accuracy. Participants will perform in-scanner 0 and 2-back (i.e., N-back) working memory task that asks them to acknowledge whether a letter was the same as the letter 2 or N times before. Participant will view one letter at a time, with a crosshair appear briefly as an inter-stimulus interval. The task paradigm for each run consists of four blocks of 2-back and four blocks of 0-back. Two runs (before and during stimulation) will be performed at each visit.

    Measured: 12 minutes versus 24 minutes in each session. Then comparing active versus sham stimulation sessions, separated by at least two weeks.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 Oct 2024
  2. Study start1 Dec 2024 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion1 Dec 2024 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Dec 2024 (estimated)

Why it stopped: Study has been absorbed into a pre-existing, IRB-approved (IRB202202370) study with an active Clinical Trials page (NCT05998031). This IRB (IRB202401208) has been withdrawn.

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Participants will enroll in a randomized double-blinded crossover within subject study. Each participant will undergo two MRI sessions. Each MRI session will include either one active tDCS or one sham tDCS. The order of delivering active or sham tDCS first will be randomized. A washout period between active and sham tDCS will be set for at least two-weeks to ensure no after-effect from the first stimulation session will be carried over to the second session.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
0 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06665022
Sponsor's protocol ID
IRB202401208
Status last verified
Nov 2024
First submitted
28 Oct 2024
Last updated
21 Nov 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Active tDCS in people with Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Decline, run by University of Florida at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: withdrawn, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Nov 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

2-back Working Memory Accuracy (time frame: 12 minutes versus 24 minutes in each session. Then comparing active versus sham stimulation sessions, separated by at least two weeks.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Nov 2024.

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