Home-Based Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

About the Research Project
Program
Award Type
Standard
Award Amount
$300,000
Active Dates
July 01, 2022 - June 30, 2025
Grant ID
A2022042S
Co-Principal Investigator(s)
Goals
The goal of our project is to determine if non-invasive brain stimulation can be used to improve memory and executive function in older adults with mild Alzheimer’s disease.
Summary
Memory loss and executive dysfunction are two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that map onto different, spatially-distinct brain networks. This study will combine and simultaneously deliver two different types of transcranial current stimulation (tCS) to provide multi-symptom relief to older adults with mild AD. By stimulating more than one brain network at the same, and studying the relationship between the electrical fields created by tCS and individual therapeutic benefit, this trial will help to develop tCS interventions with maximal impact on daily life function for this population.
Unique and Innovative
In mild AD, deficits in memory and executive function are associated with abnormal brain activity in two distinct brain networks. Our proposal is innovative in that it will be the first to test an intervention of noninvasive brain stimulation that is designed to target both of these important brain networks—at the same time. In doing so, we hope to provide early evidence that targeting multiple symptoms (memory and executive function) will lead to greater positive impact on activities of daily living and quality of life in this vulnerable population.
Foreseeable Benefits
Transcranial electrical stimulation can influence brain function without substantial side effect. In our project, we will train a family member or informal caregiver to administer the intervention in the comfort of the participant’s own home. We therefore hope that this project will result in strong preliminary evidence that transcranial electrical stimulation is a safe, effective, and importantly, a widely-accessible therapeutic option for vulnerable older adults living with mild Alzheimer’s disease.
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