2024 Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity (AARF-D)
Home-Based tDCS for Affective Symptoms
Can a brain stimulation technique treat neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s?
Thiago Macedo e Cordeiro, M.D.
University of Texas Health Science Center
San Antonio, TX - United States
Background
Individuals with Alzheimer’s often experience neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as agitation, depression, anxiety, and apathy. According to research, these symptoms may occur early in Alzheimer’s, and they may lessen an individual’s quality of life and accelerate dementia-related memory loss and other forms of cognitive decline.
Recent studies suggest that neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s may involve hyperactivation of the default mode network, a system of connected brain areas that remain active when a person is not focused on the outside world and most of the brain is at rest. A noninvasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate default mode network activity in individuals with depression. Dr. Macedo e Cordeiro and colleagues believe that tDCS treatment could help treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with Alzheimer’s, as well.
Research Plan
The research team will study how home-based tDCS treatment may impact neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with Alzheimer’s. They will collect neuropsychiatric and cognitive assessments from patients before and after treatment. In addition, the researchers will use sophisticated brain imaging techniques (including functional near infrared spectroscopy coupled with electroencephalography, fNIRS/EEG, and magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the effects of tDCS.
Impact
The results may support the home-based use of a noninvasive brain stimulation technique to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s.