Can transcranial direct current stimulation counteract age-associated functional impairment?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Aging is associated with declines in motor and cognitive functions.
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that modulates cortical excitability.
• tDCS has shown potential to enhance motor and cognitive functions in younger populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the existing research on tDCS effects in aging populations.
• To provide a framework for future research on tDCS in older adults.
• To investigate the efficacy of tDCS in counteracting age-associated functional impairments.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of thirty studies involving 856 older participants.
• Analysis of studies comparing tDCS effects in young versus older adults.
• Examination of factors influencing tDCS outcomes, such as baseline performance and montage selection.

Main Results:

• The majority of reviewed studies reported beneficial behavioral effects of tDCS in older adults.
• tDCS demonstrated potential to restore impaired motor and cognitive functions in aging.
• Differences in tDCS effects were observed between age groups, with some montages effective in young adults proving ineffective or detrimental in older adults.
• Limited transfer of cognitive benefits to untrained tasks was noted after multi-session tDCS.

Conclusions:

• tDCS is a potentially viable tool for addressing age-related functional decline.
• A personalized and systematic approach to tDCS is crucial for older adults, considering age-associated neuroplasticity.
• Future research should focus on developing age-specific tDCS protocols to maximize neuroplastic effects and functional improvements.