tDCS Effects on Associative Learning in Older Adults of Retirement Age

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy Older Adults
• Interventions: Device: tDCS; Behavioral: training

• Registration Number: NCT02839993
• Lead Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a tDCS-accompanied training of audio-visual associative memory leads to a performance improvement in healthy older individuals.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-04-01
• Study First Submitted: 2016-04-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-07-18
• Study First Posted: 2016-07-21
• Primary Completion: 2018-03-01
• Study Completion: 2018-05-01
• Status Verified: 2021-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-05-05
• Last Update Posted: 2021-05-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 10

Inclusion Criteria

• Age: old-retired (≥66 years).
• Right handedness
• unobtrusive neuropsychological screening

Exclusion Criteria

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or other neurological diseases.
• History of severe alcoholism or use of drugs.
• Severe psychiatric disorders such as depression, psychosis (if not in remission) and severe untreated medical problems.
• Contraindication for MRI (claustrophobia, metallic implants, ferromagnetic metals in the body, disorders of thermoregulation, pregnant women)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Anodal tDCS + training	tDCS	Combination of intensive training of picture-word associations (Wernicko task) with anodal stimulation
Anodal tDCS + training	training	Combination of intensive training of picture-word associations (Wernicko task) with anodal stimulation
Sham tDCS + training	tDCS	Combination of intensive training of picture-word associations (Wernicko task) with sham stimulation
Sham tDCS + training	training	Combination of intensive training of picture-word associations (Wernicko task) with sham stimulation

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Performance in a verbal associative learning paradigm under anodal tDCS compared to sham tDCS.	Performance is assessed within 1 day immediately after training period (several learning blocks) compared to sham	Investigation whether anodal tDCS leads to improved performance accuracy in the Wernicko task compared to sham stimulation.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Genotyping of learning related polymorphisms	assessed during baseline screening	To assess predictors of positive reaction to brain stimulation, genotyping of several learning related polymorphisms will be performed.
Structural predictors	assessed during baseline testing	Microstructure of white matter (Fractional Anisotropy) as measured by diffusion tensor imaging during baseline as predictors for performance and tDCS responsiveness
Functional connectivity predictors	assessed during baseline testing	Connectivity as measured by resting-state fMRI during baseline as predictors for performance and tDCS responsiveness
Other cognitive outcomes: Attention performance	Performance is assessed within 1 day before and after tDCS + training compared to sham	Digit span forward performance assessed before and after stimulation to test for tDCS effects on attention
Other cognitive outcomes: working memory	Performance is assessed within 1 day before and after tDCS + training compared to sham	Digit span backwards performance assessed before and after stimulation to test for tDCS effects on working memory

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany