Grounding Effect on Alzheimer's Disease

Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients With Mild Alzheimer's Disease

The investigators explore the effectiveness of grounding as a non-pharmacological therapy for treating sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression in patients with mild AD.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Insomnia; Alzheimer Disease; Depression, Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Grounding

Detailed Description

Grounding refers to having direct contact with the Earth, such as walking barefoot or lying on the ground. Research has found that grounding can improve inflammation, free radical damage, blood pressure, sleep quality, pain, stress, mood, and wound healing. However, there has been no re-search on the effect of utilizing grounding for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, in this study, the investigators explore the effectiveness of grounding as a non-pharmacological therapy for treating sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression in patients with mild AD.

Patients with mild AD were enrolled in the study. The electrochemical analyzer CHI 1205b was employed to check the electrochemical signals at acupoints KI1 and GV16. The investigators used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) to evaluate sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, respectively, at weeks 0 and 12.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 22
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 833
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosed with dementia, and CDR ≥ 0.5
• aged > 50 years,
• sit with bilateral bare feet on the grounding mat
• able to answer the questionnaire
• able to sign the informed consent adequately.

Exclusion Criteria:

• aged less than 50 years
• inability to sit with bilateral bare feet on the grounding mat
• currently taking anti-oxidative health supplements or anti-inflammatory medicine.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Patient receive grounding; The investigators use the grounding mat (EARTHING Conductive Earthing Uni-versal Mat with Earthing Cord) as the grounding method. The grounding group use a grounding wire to sit on a chair barefoot in contact with the grounding mat for 30 minutes.	Device: Grounding; The investigators used a grounding wire and a sham grounding wire to create grounding and sham-grounding groups. Participants sat on a chair barefoot in contact with the grounding mat for 30 minutes. The participants were blinded to the grounding because they did not know which one had a grounding effect according to the exterior of the mat.
Sham Comparator: Patient receive sham-grounding; The investigators use the grounding mat (EARTHING Conductive Earthing Uni-versal Mat with Earthing Cord) as the grounding method. The sham-grounding group use a sham grounding wire to sit on a chair barefoot in contact with the grounding mat for 30 minutes.	Device: Grounding; The investigators used a grounding wire and a sham grounding wire to create grounding and sham-grounding groups. Participants sat on a chair barefoot in contact with the grounding mat for 30 minutes. The participants were blinded to the grounding because they did not know which one had a grounding effect according to the exterior of the mat.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire for insomnia, score range from 0 to 21, the higher score means worse sleep quality	The investigators measure Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score before the patients participate the study (week 0, baseline data). After receiving 12 weeks grounding, the investigators measure PSQI again (week 12, post grounding data).	through study completion, an average of 12 weeks.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaire for anxiety, score range from 0 to 63, the higher score means more anxiety the patient is.	The investigators measure Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score before the patients participate the study (week 0, baseline data). After receiving 12 weeks grounding, the investigators measure BAI again (week 12, post grounding data).	through study completion, an average of 12 weeks.
The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) questionnaire for depression, score range from 0 to 63, the higher score means more depression the patient is.	The investigators measure Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score before the patients participate the study (week 0, baseline data). After receiving 12 weeks grounding, the investigators measure BDI-II again (week 12, post grounding data).	through study completion, an average of 12 weeks.
The electric current	The electrochemical analyzer CHI 1205b is a device that can measure the electric current via reduction-oxidation reaction. The investigators measure the electric current before the patients participate the study (week 0, baseline data). After receiving 12 weeks grounding, the investigators measure the electric current again (week 12, post grounding data).	through study completion, an average of 12 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nai-Ching Chen, MD, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Menigoz W, Latz TT, Ely RA, Kamei C, Melvin G, Sinatra D. Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. Explore (NY). 2020 May-Jun;16(3):152-160. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005. Epub 2019 Nov 14.
• Figueiro MG, Plitnick B, Roohan C, Sahin L, Kalsher M, Rea MS. Effects of a Tailored Lighting Intervention on Sleep Quality, Rest-Activity, Mood, and Behavior in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019 Dec 15;15(12):1757-1767. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8078. Epub 2019 Nov 8.
• Whitney MS, Shemery AM, Yaw AM, Donovan LJ, Glass JD, Deneris ES. Adult Brain Serotonin Deficiency Causes Hyperactivity, Circadian Disruption, and Elimination of Siestas. J Neurosci. 2016 Sep 21;36(38):9828-42. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1469-16.2016.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 12, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): July 31, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 9, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 18, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 18, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 9, 2022
• Last Verified: August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dementia; Tauopathies; Alzheimer Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201901136B0

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No