Transcranial direct current stimulation for depression in Alzheimer's disease: study protocol for a randomized...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Gerontology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients often experience depression, a neuropsychiatric symptom unresponsive to antidepressants.
• Electroconvulsive therapy shows clinical benefit but carries safety concerns for AD patients.
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) offers a potential safe neuromodulation alternative for depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and clinical effectiveness of tDCS for treating depression in individuals over 65 with Alzheimer's disease.
• To explore tDCS as a novel therapeutic approach for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD.
• To assess the potential impact of tDCS on cognitive function and overall quality of life in elderly AD patients.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, parallel-design, randomized controlled trial (RCT) with blinded participants and assessors.
• Randomization to either active or sham transcranial direct current stimulation.
• Evaluation of participants at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at a 2-week follow-up.

Main Results:

• This section is not available in the provided abstract.

Conclusions:

• This study protocol aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of tDCS for depression in elderly Alzheimer's patients.
• Findings may support tDCS as a viable, safe neuromodulation technique to improve depression and quality of life in this population.