Open AccessInferior parietal transcranial direct current stimulation with training improves cognition in anomic Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia
Author(s) -
Roncero Carlos,
Kniefel Heike,
Service Erik,
Thiel Alexander,
Probst Stephan,
Chertkow Howard
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: translational research and clinical interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.49
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2352-8737
DOI - 10.1016/j.trci.2017.03.003
Subject(s) - transcranial direct current stimulation , stimulation , psychology , neuropsychology , dementia , brain stimulation , frontotemporal dementia , neuroscience , audiology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , cognition , medicine , disease
We evaluated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve picture‐naming abilities in subjects with anomic Alzheimer or frontotemporal dementias. Methods Using a double‐blind crossover design, 10 participants were trained on picture naming over a series of 10 sessions with either 30 minutes of anodal (2 mA) tDCS stimulation to the left inferior parieto‐temporal region (P3) or sham stimulation. We evaluated performance on a trained picture‐naming list, an equivalent untrained list, and additional neuropsychological tasks. Results Participants improved significantly more receiving real stimulation rather than sham stimulation (40% vs. 19%, P < .01), lasting at least 2 weeks after stimulation. Furthermore, these participants showed a small increase for untrained picture‐naming items and digit span when they received real stimulation but a decrease when sham stimulation was received. Discussion tDCS stimulation has promise as a treatment for anomia in demented individuals and the effect can generalize to unstudied items as well as other cognitive abilities.