A Multifocal tDCS-EEG Protocol for Improving Symptoms of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Dementia
Key facts
- Where
- Caserta, ItalySee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 55 and 85 years old?
Source: NCT06668610, who can take part
Where in Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli"Caserta, ItalyTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
- Trial code
- NCT06668610
- Record updated
- 22 April 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an integrated protocol using multifocal non invasive brain stimulation and brain recording combined with cognitive training is effective in treating cognitive and affective symptomatology in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early stages of dementia. The main questions it aims to answer are:Read full original descriptionShow less
An Integrated Multifocal tDCS-EEG Protocol for Improving Cognitive and Affective Symptoms in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stages of Dementia: a Crossover Double-blind Randomised Controlled Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an integrated protocol using multifocal non invasive brain stimulation and brain recording combined with cognitive training is effective in treating cognitive and affective symptomatology in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early stages of dementia. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does multifocal non-invasive brain stimulation reduce cognitive and affective symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early stages of dementia? * Do some specific factors, such as education and cognitive reserve, affect the extent of the possible outcomes achievable from the intervention? * Do electrophysiological measures contribute identifying responders and non-responders to the treatment? Researchers will compare real non-invasive brain stimulation to a placebo stimulation (reproducing the same feeling of stimulation without actually stimulating the brain) combined with cognitive rehabilitation on general cognition measures and depression symptoms.
Participants will
* Undergo two treatment cycles (real stimulation or placebo over frontal and temporal ares of the left hemisphere) combined with cognitive training twice a week for two months. * Complete neuropsychological evaluations before the first rehabilitation cycle and at the end of each rehabilitation cycle.
Caregivers will provide information on functional daily living activities for their relatives.
Inclusion: age between 55 and 85 years; diagnosis of minor neurocognitive disorder, or major neurocognitive disorder with mild severity, according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA 2013) with a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) of .05 or 1 (Morris, 1993); right handedness.
Exclusion: brain events with an acute aetiology (stroke, traumatic brain injury, neoplastic ablation); psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder) and assumption of psychotropic drugs; diagnosis of moderate or severe major neurocognitive disorders (DSM-5; APA 2013) with CDR scores equal or above 2 (Morris, 1993); any condition with may also hypothetically interfere with electrophysiological recording and neurostimulation (metallic implants in the brain, cochlear implant, pacemakers, or suffering from epilepsy) (Antal et al., 2017; Bikson et al., 2016).