Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37715232›Full record

ArticleAlzheimer's research & therapy2023

Home-based transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in Alzheimer's disease: rationale and study design.

Daniele Altomare, Alberto Benussi, Valentina Cantoni, Enrico Premi, Jasmine Rivolta, Chiara Cupidi, Alessandro Martorana, Emiliano Santarnecchi, Alessandro Padovani, Giacomo Koch and 1 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07650188 (Stimulating the Aging Brain), which is not on this map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 13% 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.

NCT07650188 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Stimulating the Aging Brain: Noninvasive Brain and Sensory Stimulation Strategies in Aging

TypeinterventionalSponsorMedical College of WisconsinRan2026 to 2035Enrolled20ConditionsPrimary Progressive AphasiaArmstACS or multisensory stimulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

11 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Daniele AltomareDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Alberto BenussiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Valentina CantoniDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Enrico PremiStroke Unit, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
Jasmine RivoltaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Chiara CupidiNeurology Unit, Fondazione Istituto G. Giglio, Cefalù, Italy.
Alessandro MartoranaDepartment of Systems Medicine, Memory Clinic, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Emiliano SantarnecchiDepartment of Radiology, Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Alessandro PadovaniDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Giacomo KochDepartment of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Barbara BorroniDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. barbara.borroni@unibs.it.
University of Brescia · ITAzienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale degli Spedali Civili di Brescia · ITFondazione Istituto G. Giglio di Cefalù · ITGordon Center for Medical Imaging · USUniversity of Ferrara · ITUniversity of Rome Tor Vergata · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGamma (γ) brain oscillations are dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and can be modulated using transcranial alternating stimulation (tACS). In the present paper, we describe the rationale and design of a study assessing safety, feasibility, clinical and biological efficacy, and predictors of outcome of a home-based intervention consisting of γ-tACS over the precuneus.

methodsIn a first phase, 60 AD patients will be randomized into two arms: ARM1, 8-week precuneus γ-tACS (frequency: 40 Hz, intensity: 2 mA, duration: 5 60-min sessions/week); and ARM2, 8-week sham tACS (same parameters as the real γ-tACS, with the current being discontinued 5 s after the beginning of the stimulation). In a second phase, all participants will receive 8-week γ-tACS (same parameters as the real γ-tACS in the first phase). The study outcomes will be collected at several timepoints throughout the study duration and include information on safety and feasibility, neuropsychological assessment, blood sampling, electroencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation neurotransmitter measures, and magnetic resonance imaging or amyloid positron emission tomography.

resultsWe expect that this intervention is safe and feasible and results in the improvement of cognition, entrainment of gamma oscillations, increased functional connectivity, reduction of pathological burden, and increased cholinergic transmission.

conclusionsIf our expected results are achieved, home-based interventions using γ-tACS, either alone or in combination with other therapies, may become a reality for treating AD.

trial registrationPNRR-POC-2022-12376021.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAmyloidogenic ProteinsHumansResearch DesignTranscranial Magnetic StimulationAmyloidogenic ProteinsAlzheimer’s diseaseBiomarkersCognitionElectrical stimulationMemorytACS

Identifiers

PMID37715232
PMCPMC10503166
OpenAlexW4386788070

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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.