Remote Home-based Electrical Stimulation (tDCS) in Primary Progressive Aphasia (With Frontotemporal Dementia or Alzheimer's Pathology) and Mild Cognitive Impairment/Alzheimer's.
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Sponsor
- Johns Hopkins University
- Enrollment
- 50
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in language composite outcome
- Status
- Enrolling by Invitation
- Last Updated
- 8 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation and computerized cognitive training on executive functioning in individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. In this study, investigators will use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Previous studies have demonstrated that tDCS over the DLPFC led to improvements in attention deficit caused by stroke, Parkinson's Disease, and major depression as well as language deficits caused by neurodegenerative conditions such as primary progressive aphasia or mild cognitive impairment. The investigators seek to expand on this literature by investigating how anodal tDCS paired with and without cognitive training will impact executive functioning in PPA with Frontotemporal Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease pathology and Mild Cognitive Impairment/Alzheimer's Disease (e.g. shifting, updating, monitoring, and manipulation).
Detailed Description
In this within-subject cross-over protocol, all participants will receive both, cognitive training and brain stimulation tDCS. Participants will be randomly assigned to begin with either cognitive training and brain stimulation (dual therapy) or just brain stimulation (monotherapy) and will receive the complementary therapy program in the second round of treatment. During each period of therapy, participants will receive 50 treatment sessions over the course of approximately 10 weeks. The computerized cognitive training and brain stimulation will both be preprogrammed to be done at home by the participant.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Must be clinically diagnosed with PPA, fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), MCI or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diagnosis will be based on neuropsychological testing, language testing (most commonly the Western Aphasia Battery), MRI, and clinical assessment.
- •Must be right-handed.
- •Must be proficient in English.
- •Must have a minimum high-school education.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Uncorrected visual or hearing impairment by self-report.
- •Stroke/other premorbid neurological disorder affecting the brain.
- •Any other developmental language-based learning disorder other than PPA.
- •Inability to follow directions for baseline tasks.
- •Pre-existing psychiatric disorders such as behavioral disturbances, severe depression, and schizophrenia that do not allow them to comply or follow the study schedule and requirements such as repeated evaluation and therapy will be excluded.
- •Exclusion Criteria for MRI participation:
- •Severe claustrophobia.
- •Cardiac pacemakers or ferromagnetic implants.
- •Pregnant women.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in language composite outcome
Time Frame: Before intervention, immediately after intervention
A single language composite outcome will be generated by computing the mean of the z-scores the following oral and written naming, spelling, and sentence comprehension and repetition tasks: Philadelphia Naming Test (Short Form), Boston Naming Test, Hopkins Action Naming Assessment, Hopkins Dysgraphia Battery, National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Sentence Repetition. The investigators will take the z-score for each task and aggregate them in order to get a composite z-score.
Change in Global Cognitive Scores
Time Frame: Before intervention, immediately after intervention
This will be measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Scored out of 30 points, higher is better.
Change in Executive Composite Outcome
Time Frame: Before intervention, immediately after intervention
A single executive composite will be generated by computing the mean of the z-scores of the tasks below reflecting new learning and memory, processing speed and executive functioning, attention and working memory, and verbal fluency respectively: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test A and B, Attention Network Task, Digit and Spatial Span, and Category fluency and Verbal Fluency. The investigators will take the z-score for each task and aggregate them in order to get a composite z-score.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in level of Depressive Symptoms(Before intervention, immediately after intervention)
- Change in Selective attention and cognitive flexibility(Before intervention, immediately after intervention)
- Change in attention and task switching(Before intervention, immediately after intervention)
- Change in working memory capacity.(Before intervention, immediately after intervention)