Multi-session Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation to Improve Dual-task Standing and Brain Activity in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
High Point University
Summary
Older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) often show less brain activity in a specific range (8-13 Hz, known as alpha power) compared to healthy older adults. Those with lower alpha activity, especially in the front part of the brain, usually have problems with executive functions like planning and multitasking. Our research has shown that older adults with lower alpha power in these areas also struggle more with balance when they have to do two things at once (like standing and performing a cognitive task simultaneously). The investigators believe that increasing alpha power in older adults with MCI could improve their balance and executive function, helping them stay independent longer. In early studies, the investigators found that using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 10 Hz on the front part of the brain can boost alpha power and balance immediately after a single session in older adults with MCI. The effect was stronger in those whose natural brain activity was close to the 10 Hz stimulation. Based on these findings, the investigators plan to conduct a pilot study with older adults aged 65-85 years with MCI. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real tACS or a sham (placebo) treatment. Our main hypothesis is that real tACS will improve balance when multitasking, and these improvements will last for 1 to 3 months after the treatment. The investigators also believe that tACS will enhance other aspects of executive function and mobility and that these improvements will be linked to increased alpha activity in the brain. Through this study, we aim to gather strong evidence that tailored tACS is a promising treatment to improve cognitive and motor functions and overall brain activity in older adults with MCI.
Description
Older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) exhibit reduced brain alpha power (i.e., activity fluctuations in the 8-13 Hz range) compared to healthy older adults, and older adults who exhibit lower alpha activity in the fronto-central areas tend to have impaired executive function. In addition, our group has demonstrated that older adults who exhibit lower fronto-central alpha power during dual-task standing (i.e., standing while performing an unrelated cognitive task) have worse standing balance performance. We, therefore, contend that strategies designed to increase alpha power in olde…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 65–85 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 65+ * Who have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment (based in MoCA or TICS and Clinical Dementia Rating: CDR 0.5) * Ability to stand and walk independently * Willing and capable to give informed consent for the participation in the study after it has been thoroughly explained * Cut off of MOCA score \>18 will be applied * Able and willing to comply with all study requirements informed consent form was signed * Understanding of the ICF will be assessed by asking the participant to answer the following three questions: 1) What is the purpose of this study? 2) What…
Interventions
- Otherreal tACS
Those who randomized into real tACS arm will receive ten-session of individually tailored tACS targeting peak alpha power for 20-minutes
- Othersham tACS
Those who randomized into sham tACS arm will receive ten-session of active sham tACS intervention for 20-minutes
Location
- High Point UniversityHigh Point, North Carolina