Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38365761›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2024

Can transcranial direct current stimulation combined with interactive computerized cognitive training boost cognition and gait performance in older adults with mild cognitive impairment? a randomized controlled trial.

Chi Ieong Lau, Mu-N Liu, Fang-Yu Cheng, Han-Cheng Wang, Vincent Walsh, Ying-Yi Liao

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 6% 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

19 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Clinical Effectiveness of Treatments for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Adults: A Systematic Review.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2025
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
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

6 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Chi Ieong LauDementia Center, Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Mu-N LiuDepartment of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Fang-Yu ChengInstitute of Long-Term Care, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Han-Cheng WangDementia Center, Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Vincent WalshApplied Cognitive Neuroscience Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK.
Ying-Yi LiaoDepartment of Gerontological Health Care, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan. ianliao1209@gmail.com.
Mackay Medical College · TWNational Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science · TWNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · TWNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · TWTaipei Veterans General Hospital · TWUniversity College London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOlder adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are often subject to cognitive and gait deficits. Interactive Computerized Cognitive Training (ICCT) may improve cognitive function; however, the effect of such training on gait performance is limited. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) improves cognition and gait performance. It remains unclear whether combining tDCS with ICCT produces an enhanced synergistic effect on cognition and complex gait performance relative to ICCT alone. This study aimed to compare the effects of tDCS combined with ICCT on cognition and gait performance in older adults with MCI.

methodTwenty-one older adults with MCI were randomly assigned to groups receiving either anodal tDCS and ICCT ( tDCS + ICCT ) or sham tDCS and ICCT ( sham + ICCT ). Participants played Nintendo Switch cognitive games for 40 min per session, simultaneously receiving either anodal or sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for the first 20 min. Cognitive and gait assessments were performed before and after 15 training sessions.

resultsThe global cognition, executive function, and working-memory scores improved in both groups, but there were no significant interaction effects on cognitive outcomes. Additionally, the group × time interactions indicated that tDCS + ICCT significantly enhanced dual-task gait performance in terms of gait speed (p = 0.045), variability (p = 0.016), and dual-task cost (p = 0.039) compared to sham + ICCT.

conclusionThe combined effect of tDCS and ICCT on cognition was not superior to that of ICCT alone; however, it had a significant impact on dual-task gait performance. Administering tDCS as an adjunct to ICCT may thus provide additional benefits for older adults with MCI.

trial registrationThis trial was registered at http://www. CLINICALTRIALS: in.th/ (TCTR 20,220,328,009).

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAgedCognitionCognitive TrainingDouble-Blind MethodGaitHumansPrefrontal Cortex

Identifiers

PMID38365761
PMCPMC10874043
OpenAlexW4391878461

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.