Modulation of Visual-Spatial Learning in Healthy Older Adults by tDCS
- Conditions
- Healthy Older Adults
- Interventions
- Device: tDCSBehavioral: training
- Registration Number
- NCT02110056
- Lead Sponsor
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany
- Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) leads to an improvement of learning and memory in healthy older adults and to examine the underlying neuronal mechanism.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 32
Not provided
- severe internal or psychiatric disease
- epilepsy
- other severe neurological diseases, e.g. previous major stroke or brain tumor
- DMS-IV manifest dementia
- contraindication for MRT (claustrophobia, metallic implants, tattoos)
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description training + sham stimulation tDCS Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with sham stimulation training + sham stimulation training Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with sham stimulation training + tDCS tDCS Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) training + tDCS training Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Performance in LOCATO task (Visual-Spatial learning and memory) after a combination of intensive visual-spatial training and tDCS immediately after the end of a 3 day training period in tDCS condition compared to sham condition Investigation whether the combination of intensive visual-spatial training (LOCATO task) and tDCS leads to an improvement of visual-spatial learning and memory measured by performance in LOCATO task after end of a 3 day training period compared to sham stimulation.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method functional changes: Connectivity after end of 3-day period of training vs baseline Connectivity (measured by resting-state fMRT and correlation analysis) at baseline compared to end of 3 day period of training
long term effects after 1 month vs baseline long term effects measured by performance in LOCATO task after end of training and after 1 month compared to control condition
Quality of life after 1 month vs baseline quality of life as measured by standardized questionaire at baseline compared to quality of life measured 1 month after intervention (training and stimulation vs. training and sham-stimualtion)
affective state immediately after the end of 3-day cognitive training, after 1 month vs. baseline affective state measured at baseline compared to affective state measured after the end of a 3-day cognitve training period and after 1 month (posttraining) in training and stimulation vs. training and sham stimulation
genotyping of learning related polymorphisms once To assess predictors of positive reaction to brain stimulation, genotyping of several learning related polymorphisms will be performed (i.e., APOE, BDNF Val66Met, COMT Val158Met).
cortical excitability at baseline measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at baseline
memory immediately after end of 3-day of cognitive training, after 1 month vs. baseline memory performance tested at baseline compared to memory performance after the end of a 3-day cognitive training period and after 1 month (posttraining) in training and stimulation vs. training and sham stimulation
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin
🇩🇪Berlin, Germany