Cognitive Remediation Augmented With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

June 17, 2024 updated by: NYU Langone Health
The proposed study will test the feasibility and tolerability of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) added to a cognitive remediation program in n=100 adults. For 60 cognitive remediation sessions, participants will receive 20 minutes of active tDCS stimulation (up to 4.0 mA, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or montage dependent on specific area of deficit) while they complete the cognitive training tasks.

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a novel, safe, well-tolerated, and low-cost treatment approach that may enhance the benefits of cognitive remediation. The application of tDCS is a relatively recent therapeutic development that utilizes low amplitude direct currents to induce changes in cortical excitability. To meet this study's objectives, investigators will focus specifically on working memory (WM) in both training and outcome. Limiting training to WM exercises will provide the opportunity to test proof of concept for the combined therapies within this shorter two-week time frame, and maximize the synergistic effect by engaging the same regions as targeted by the tDCS.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

15

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10016
        • New York University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least 18 years of age
  • Clinician Referral for cognitive remediation.
  • Have undergone a neurological examination and neuropsychological examination as part of standard of care.
  • Has access to internet service at home compatible with the study laptop (Wi-Fi or ethernet cable)
  • Able to commit to the designated period of study training sessions with baseline and follow-up visits.
  • Able to understand the informed consent process and provide consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Visual, auditory and motor deficits that would prevent full ability to understand study instructions or operate the tDCS device or study laptop, as judged by treating clinician or study staff
  • Primary, uncontrolled psychiatric disorder that would influence ability to participate
  • Poorly controlled epilepsy
  • Medical device implanted in the head (such as Deep Brain Stimulator) or in the neck (such as a Vagus Nerve Stimulator)
  • Any skin disorder/sensitive skin (e.g., eczema, severe rashes), blisters, open wounds, burn including sunburns, cuts or irritation, or other skin defects which compromise the integrity of the skin at or near stimulation locations (where electrodes are placed)
  • Treatment for a communicable skin disorder currently or over the past 12 months
  • Other serious uncontrolled medical condition (e.g., cancer or acute myocardial infarction)
  • Wide Range Achievement Test-4th Edition (WRAT-4) Reading Recognition score <85*
  • Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) ≥3.0 SD below published norms*
  • Learned English language after 12 years of age

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding

    • In the case of the potential participant having either speech, motor or vision impairment secondary to their condition that will limit the completion of the SDMT and WRAT-4 screening measures the substitutions as mentioned above will be used.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Cognitive Remediation
For the 20 cognitive remediation sessions, eligible participants will receive 20 minutes of active tDCS stimulation (up to 2.0 mA, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) motage) while they complete the cognitive training tasks. Once the participant has completed his/her 20 sessions a pre/post treatment assessment measures will be completed.
Device: tDCS stimulation
up to 4.0 mA, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (montage dependent on specific area of deficit) while completing cognitive training tasks
Other Names:
  • Soterix Mini-CT

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Participants Completing at Least 80% of the Targeted Number of Sessions.
Time Frame: End of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
The protocol is designed to have a decision-tree series of checkpoints that must be met in order to proceed at each step
End of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
Number of Participants With Treatment Related Adverse Events
Time Frame: End of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
End of treatment (up to 12 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for Pain Score
Time Frame: Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
VAS is a tool widely used to measure pain. A patient is asked to indicate his/her perceived pain intensity (most commonly) along a 10 mm horizontal line, and this rating is then measured from the left edge (=VAS score). The total score range is 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable); the higher the score, the worse the pain.
Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
Change in Negative Affect Score From the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)
Time Frame: Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
This brief scale is comprised of 10 items measuring negative affect (e.g., upset, afraid). Individual items are scored 1-5, 1 being "very slightly or not at all" and 5 being "Extremely". The negative affect score is calculated by finding the sum of the 10 negative items. Scores range from 10 - 50. For the total negative score, a lower score indicates less of a negative affect.
Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
Change in Positive Affect Score From the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)
Time Frame: Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
This brief scale is comprised of 10 items measuring positive affect (e.g., excited, inspired). Individual items are scored 1-5, 1 being "very slightly or not at all" and 5 being "Extremely". The positive affect score is calculated by finding the sum of the 10 positive items. Scores range from 10 - 50. For the total positive score, a higher score indicates more of a positive affect.
Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
Change in Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) Score
Time Frame: Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)
The SDMT is a cognitive processing speed test. Participants are given a key of nine symbol-digit pairs along with a sequence of symbols. They are then asked to use the key to match as many symbols in the sequence to their corresponding numbers as possible within 90 seconds. The score is the number of correctly coded items from 0-110 in 90 seconds. Lower scores indicate cognitive decline.
Baseline, end of treatment (up to 12 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

NYU Langone Health

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Leigh Charvet, MD, New York University Medical Center Institutional Review Boards

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 7, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 26, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

March 26, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 8, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 8, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

February 10, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 9, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 17, 2024

Last Verified

June 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 16-01810

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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