Inferior parietal transcranial direct current stimulation with training improves cognition in anomic Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia

Carlos Roncero, Heike Kniefel, Erik Service, Alexander Thiel, Stephan Probst, Howard Chertkow, Carlos Roncero, Heike Kniefel, Erik Service, Alexander Thiel, Stephan Probst, Howard Chertkow

Abstract

Introduction: 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.

Keywords: Anomia; Object naming; PPA; Training; tDCS.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Montage applied. Abbreviation: tDCS, transcranial direct current stimulation.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
tDCS paradigm used in present study. Abbreviation: tDCS, transcranial direct current stimulation.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Naming score improvement for trained items per stimulation round. Abbreviation: n.s., not significant. *P <.05.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Naming score improvement for untrained items per stimulation round. Abbreviation: n.s., not significant. *P <.05.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Score per condition over time for digit span. Abbreviation: n.s., not significant. *P <.05.

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