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Network-based tDCS for Apathy
Sponsor: Hebrew SeniorLife
Summary
Apathy is one of the most common and undertreated neurobehavioral symptoms in older adults with dementia. It is associated with reduced motivation and engagement in daily activities, and may contribute to faster cognitive and functional decline. Currently, there are no approved pharmacologic treatments for apathy, and many behavioral interventions are difficult for individuals with apathy to initiate and sustain. This ISAC-funded pilot study will examine the feasibility of a home-delivered, network-based transcranial direct current stimulation intervention designed to target and non-invasively stimulate brain regions involved in motivation and goal-directed behavior, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. The study will assess feasibility, safety, adherence of this intervention for older adults with dementia and apathy, and obtain preliminary data of clinical and neurophysiological measures. The team has submitted the IRB application, which is currently pending review, and has posted a position to hire a new research assistant who will support recruitment, study coordination, and intervention delivery. These start-up activities will help prepare the team to launch participant enrollment once regulatory approvals and staffing are in place.
Official title: Using Network-based tDCS Intervention to Alleviate Apathy in Older Adults With Dementia
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
20
Start Date
2026-11-10
Completion Date
2027-12-31
Last Updated
2026-10-28
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
transcranial direct current stimulation
tDCS can safely and selectively modulate cortical excitability (specifically neuronal firing likelihood) by transferring weak electrical currents between scalp electrodes. The direct current delivered by any one electrode will not exceed 2.0 mA and the total amount of current from all electrodes will not exceed 4 mA in this study.
sham stimulation
sham stimulation will implement the same protocol of the tDCS intervention; however, only very low-level currents (no more than 0.5 mA) are transferred between the same electrodes used for the tDCS throughout the 20-minute session. This strategy effectively mimics the cutaneous sensations and skin redness induced by creating only micro cortical electric fields.