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Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Combined With Cognitive Training in Alzheimer's Disease (AD_tACSrehab)

21 september 2026 bijgewerkt door: Prof. Barbara Borroni, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli

Interventional Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Combined With Cognitive Training on Cognitive Performance in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical and biological efficacy, as well as predictors of efficacy, of a home-based intervention combining transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) with individualized computerized cognitive training in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD).

In neurodegenerative diseases, including AD, neurodegeneration is accompanied by alterations in brain oscillatory activity. Restoration of these oscillations through neuronal entrainment has shown beneficial effects in animal models, while previous studies in patients with AD have demonstrated that gamma-frequency tACS applied over the precuneus is safe and well tolerated and is associated with improvements in cognitive performance and cholinergic function, as well as modulation of brain oscillatory activity. Cognitive rehabilitation may also improve memory performance in patients with mild AD. Based on this evidence, the present study investigates a multimodal approach combining gamma-tACS with individualized computerized memory training.

The study is a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial involving 30 participants with mild AD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1 will receive real gamma-tACS for 8 weeks (5 sessions/week, 60 minutes/session) combined with cognitive training (2 sessions/week, 30 minutes/session); Group 2 will receive sham tACS according to the same schedule, combined with the same cognitive training. tACS will be applied over the precuneus. Treatment will initially be performed in the hospital and will subsequently be administered at home under remote supervision by the study team.

Assessments will be performed at baseline (T00), after 8 weeks of treatment (T08), and at follow-up visits at 16 weeks (T16) and 24 weeks (T24) from baseline. At each time point, participants will undergo clinical and neuropsychological assessment, blood sampling, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The occurrence of adverse events will be monitored throughout the duration of the study.

The main objectives of the study are: 1) to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of the combined intervention on cognitive performance; 2) to investigate intervention-induced changes in biological markers of neurodegeneration, inflammation, and synaptic function; 3) to evaluate the effects of the intervention on cholinergic transmission through the TMS short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) measure; and 4) to investigate potential predictors of treatment efficacy.

Studie Overzicht

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

30

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studie Locaties

      • Milan, Italië
        • Nog niet aan het werven
        • IRCCS S. Maria Nascente - Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi
        • Contact:
          • Francesca Baglio, MD
          • Telefoonnummer: +390240308951
    • Brescia
      • Brescia, Brescia, Italië, 25125
        • Werving
        • IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni Di Dio - Fatebenefratelli
        • Hoofdonderzoeker:
          • Barbara Borroni, MD
        • Contact:

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

18 jaar en ouder (Volwassen, Oudere volwassene)

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Nee

Geslachten die in aanmerking komen voor studie

Allemaal

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients:

  • Male or female participants aged ≥18 years at the time of signing the informed consent form;
  • Clinical diagnosis of mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to current clinical criteria;
  • Availability of a caregiver who can assist the participant and who has successfully completed the required training for the use of the device at home.

Caregivers:

  • Male or female caregivers aged ≥18 years;
  • Compliance with participation in the in-hospital training;
  • Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score >27/30.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age below that specified in the inclusion criteria;
  • Inability to understand;
  • Contraindications to tACS and TMS (e.g., presence of a cardiac pacemaker or metallic implants incompatible with electrical or magnetic fields, history of epilepsy, or current pregnancy, as assessed using the safety questionnaire).

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Behandeling
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Verdrievoudigen

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Sham-vergelijker: Sham tACS

Participants will receive individualized computerized memory training for 8 weeks (2 sessions/week, 30 minutes/session) through synchronous telerehabilitation. The memory training will be individualized based on each participant's performance on the Face-Name Association Task (FNAT) and will use an errorless learning approach.

40 at-home sessions (5 days/week for 8 weeks), each consisting of the application of sham tACS applied over the precuneus for a duration of 60 minutes each. The electrode placement will be identical to that used for real stimulation. However, the electrical current will be automatically interrupted approximately 5 seconds after the start of stimulation, making it impossible for the participant to distinguish between sham and real stimulation.

Experimenteel: Real tACS

40 at-home sessions (5 days/week for 8 weeks), each consisting of the application of tACS (real, 40 Hz) applied over the precuneus for a duration of 60 minutes each.

Participants will receive individualized computerized memory training for 8 weeks (2 sessions/week, 30 minutes/session) through synchronous telerehabilitation. The memory training will be individualized based on each participant's performance on the Face-Name Association Task (FNAT) and will use an errorless learning approach.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 24

The global cognitive functioning will be assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); MMSE scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating a more preserved cognition.

Change from baseline to week 24
Semantic Fluency Test
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

Lexical-semantic access and executive functioning will be evaluated by Semantic Fluency Test. Participant is asked to generate as many words as possible from a given category within a limited time (60 seconds); higher scores indicate better performance.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24
Trail Making Test (TMT - A, B)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

Executive function will be assessed using the Trail Making Test, including Part A (visual attention and processing speed) and Part B (task switching and cognitive flexibility). Higher completion times reflect poorer performance.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24
Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

Verbal memory will be assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), including immediate recall (sum of trials), delayed recall after 15 minutes. Scores reflect the number of correctly recalled items.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog-13)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

The ADAS-Cog-13 consists of 13 tasks assessing cognitive domains including memory, language, praxis, orientation, and attention. Total scores range from 0 to 85, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive impairment.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Face-Name Associative Memory Test (FNAT)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

The Face-Name Associative Memory Test is used to assess the participant's associative memory and is composed of encoding and retrieval phases, with higher scores indicating better function.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study - Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

ADCS-ADL evaluates activities of daily living. The scores range from 0-78 with lower scores indicating more severe functional impairment.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is designed to be a structured clinical interview about neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms; the score ranges from 0 (no symptoms) to 144 (severe symptoms).

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Clinical Dementia Rating scale - Sum of Boxes (CDR-SoB)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

The Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) assesses cognitive and functional impairment across six domains: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. Total scores range from 0 to 18, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive and functional impairment.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Clinical Dementia Rating scale - Global Score (CDR-GS)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24

The Clinical Dementia Rating Global Score (CDR-GS) assesses the overall severity of cognitive and functional impairment across six domains: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. Global scores range from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating greater impairment.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16 and 24
Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI)
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) assesses the perceived burden experienced by caregivers of individuals with dementia. It consists of 22 items rated on a 5-point scale. Total scores range from 0 to 88, with higher scores indicating greater caregiver burden.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Change in SAI measurements
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

By using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), the investigators will evaluate the effects of gamma tACS on short latency afferent inhibition (SAI), which is a marker of cholinergic transmission. SAI is expressed as percent of the unconditioned motor evoked potential.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24
Change From Baseline in Biological Marker Concentrations
Tijdsspanne: Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24

A venous blood draw will be performed at each timepoint. Samples will be processed for serum, plasma, and DNA extraction. Changes from baseline in biological marker concentrations, including plasma p-tau217, will be evaluated over time.

Change from baseline to week 8, 16, and 24
Demographic characteristics
Tijdsspanne: Baseline

Demographic characteristics (age, gender, and level of education) will be evaluated as predictors of treatment efficacy and examined for associations with differential treatment response.

Baseline
Baseline Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB)
Tijdsspanne: Baseline

The Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) will be used to assess disease severity at baseline and evaluated as a predictor of treatment efficacy and examined for associations with differential treatment response. The CDR-SB assesses cognitive and functional impairment across six domains: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. Total scores range from 0 to 18, with higher scores indicating greater disease severity.

Baseline
Baseline Clinical Dementia Rating - Global Score (CDR-GS)
Tijdsspanne: Baseline

The Clinical Dementia Rating - Global Score (CDR-GS) will be used to assess disease severity at baseline and evaluated as a predictor of treatment efficacy and examined for associations with differential treatment response. The CDR-SB assesses cognitive and functional impairment across six domains: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. Global scores range from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating greater impairment.

Baseline
Level of Education and Occupational Attainment as Proxies of Cognitive Reserve
Tijdsspanne: Baseline

Level of education and occupational attainment will be assessed at baseline as proxy measures of cognitive reserve and examined for associations with differential treatment response.

Baseline
Plasma Biomarker Profile
Tijdsspanne: Baseline

The plasma biomarker profile will be evaluated as a predictor of treatment efficacy and examined for associations with differential treatment response.

Baseline

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Publicaties en nuttige links

De persoon die verantwoordelijk is voor het invoeren van informatie over het onderzoek stelt deze publicaties vrijwillig ter beschikking. Dit kan gaan over alles wat met het onderzoek te maken heeft.

Algemene publicaties

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Geschat)

16 september 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

1 september 2031

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

1 september 2032

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

14 september 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

21 september 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

24 september 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

24 september 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

21 september 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 september 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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