Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30602377›Full record

SynthesisBMC neuroscience2019

The modulation effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Ying Xu, Zhijie Qiu, Jingfang Zhu, Jiao Liu, Jingsong Wu, Jing Tao, Lidian Chen

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC neuroscience, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 51 citations in OpenAlex.

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  10. Enhancing working memory in MCI: Modulating alpha-gamma coupling and gamma oscillations via rTMS.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ying XuRehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7495-8340
Zhijie QiuRehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Jingfang ZhuRehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Jiao LiuNational Rehabilitation Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Jingsong WuRehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Jing TaoRehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Lidian ChenFujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China. cld@fjtcm.edu.cn.
Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo prevent and control dementia, many scholars have focused on the transition stage between normal ageing and dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is a key interventional target for dementia. Studies have shown that non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is beneficial to improve cognitive function of MCI patients. However, whether NIBS is conducive to the protection of cognitive ability in MCI patients remains unknown due to limited evidence. The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate the modulation effect of NIBS on cognitive function (global cognitive ability and specific domains of cognition) in patients with MCI.

resultsA total of 11 RCTs comprising a total of 367 MCI participants. Meta-analysis showed that NIBS can significantly improve global cognition (n = 271, SMD = 0.94, 95% CI 0.47-1.41, p < 0.0001) and verbal fluency (n = 72, MD = 2.03, 95% CI 0.17-3.88, p = 0.03). However, there was no significant improvement in other domains of cognition.

conclusionsNIBS has a positive effect on improving global cognitive function and verbal fluency. At the same time, it has a small positive effect on improving executive function. However, these findings should be interpreted carefully due to the limitations of the study.

Indexed as

CognitionTranscranial Direct Current StimulationTranscranial Magnetic StimulationBrainCognitive DysfunctionHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicCognitive functionMeta-analysisMild cognitive impairmentNon-invasive brain stimulation

Identifiers

PMID30602377
PMCPMC6317253
OpenAlexW2907895038

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.