Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37668843›Full record

SynthesisAging clinical and experimental research2023

The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cognitive function for mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Othman Saleh, Mohammad Assaf, Ahmad Alzoubi, Ahmad Anshase, Husam Tarkhan, Motasem Ayoub, Mohamed Abuelazm

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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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.

Othman Saleh *Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Mohammad Assaf *Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Ahmad AlzoubiFaculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Ahmad AnshaseFaculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Husam TarkhanFaculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Motasem AyoubFaculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Mohamed AbuelazmFaculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt. Mohamed_m30898357@med.tanta.edu.eg.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2514-0689

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) emerged as a potential modality for enhancing cognitive functions in patients with cognitive decline, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesize the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of tDCS on cognitive functions in patients with MCI.

methodsOur review protocol was registered on PROSPERO with ID: CRD42022360587. We conducted a systematic database search until September 2022. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and pooled effect size (ES) for robust variance estimation (RVE) method were used as effect estimates for our meta-analysis.

resultsWe included 11 RCTs with a total of 429 participants. The meta-analysis showed that, compared to sham groups, tDCS did not improve global functioning (measured by MOCA) (SMD = 0.02, CI =  - 0.30 to 0.35; p = 0.88), memory domain (ES = 0.681, CI =  - 2.15 to 3.51, p = 0.576), sustained attention (measured by TMT-A) (SMD =  - 0.21, CI =  - 0.52 to 0.10, p = 0.19), and executive function (measured by TMT-B) (SMD =  - 0.53, CI =  - 1.56 to 0.50, p = 0.20).

conclusionOur meta-analysis found no significant effect of tDCS on cognitive functions in MCI patients, including effects on global functioning, memory, sustained attention, and executive function. Therefore, an important change to be tested in future studies is to look for a better combination with tDCS for patients with MCI.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionTranscranial Direct Current StimulationCognitionExecutive FunctionHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAlzheimer’s diseaseCognitive impairmentMeta-analysisSystematic reviewtDCSTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.