The Effects of Noninvasive Brain Stimulation on Physical and Mental Functioning in Older Adults

Completed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Aging

In brief

The objective of this study is to determine whether augmentation of prefrontal brain excitability using noninvasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) lessens the severity of the symptom triad associated with cerebral microvascular disease (CMD); that is, slow gait, cognitive dysfunction and depressive symptoms. Investigators will complete this objective by conducting a pilot, double-blinded randomized controlled trial of a 10-day intervention of real versus sham tDCS in 40 subjects.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02436915

Run by

Hebrew SeniorLife

People needed

19

Starts

2015-06-01

Expected to finish

2016-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2019-06-05

Who can join

Age: 65 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Slow gait, defined by an over-ground preferred walking speed of less than or equal to 1.0 m/s.
• Executive dysfunction, defined by a Trail Making Test B z-score of greater than one standard deviation below age- and gender-based norms.

You may not qualify if…

• Non-ambulatory
• Clinical history or brain imaging evidence of a previous stroke
• Parkinson's Disease
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Other neurodegenerative condition
• Severe depression
• Lower-extremity arthritis or pain causing slow gait
• Inability or unwillingness to understand or participate in the study protocol
• Contraindications to MRI or tDCS, including (but not limited to) personal or family history of epilepsy, use of neuro-active drugs, claustrophobia or risk of metal objects in the body.

Where it is running

• Hebrew Rehabilitation Center — Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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