Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40856746›Full record

SynthesisNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2025

Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia: A Systematic Review and Updated Meta-analysis.

Khaled Alhwaishel, Mariano Gallo Ruelas, Aisha Rizwan Ahmed, Victor Gonçalves Soares, Aishwarya Koppanatham, Jhon E Bocanegra-Becerra, Elizabet Taylor Pimenta Weba, Anuraag Punukollu, Krish Kuhar, Gabriel de Moraes Mangas and 5 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. 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

15 authors.

Khaled AlhwaishelMansoura Manchester Program, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. huwaishell@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-9263
Mariano Gallo RuelasInstituto de Investigación Nutricional (IIN), Lima, Peru.
Aisha Rizwan AhmedJinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Victor Gonçalves SoaresFederal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Aishwarya KoppanathamAndhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, India.
Jhon E Bocanegra-BecerraAcademic Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Elizabet Taylor Pimenta WebaState University of Região Tocantina do Maranhão, Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil.
Anuraag PunukolluAndhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, India.
Krish KuharDr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital, Delhi, India.
Gabriel de Moraes MangasFluminense Federal University, Niterói, Brazil.
Jéssica Sales de OliveiraNational University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
Reem Ali AldubaisyMansoura Manchester Program, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Brodus A FranklinGlobal Health, Texas Children's Hospital, Feigin Tower, 1102 Bates Ave., FC0630, Houston, Texas, 77030-2399, USA.
Murilo Dos Santos MancilhaAnhembi Morumbi University, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Rafael B JoãoInternal Medicine Department, Neurology Division, São Vicente de Paulo Charity Hospital, Jundiaí, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrimary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a group of dementias characterized by progressive loss of specific language functions with relative sparing of other cognitive domains. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been introduced as a potential therapeutic option for PPA. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of tDCS in improving cognitive and language functions in patients with PPA.

methodsPubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched up to June 2024 to identify randomized controlled studies (RCTs) comparing tDCS vs sham procedure in patients with PPA.

resultsOur analysis encompassed ten RCTs comparing the efficacy of tDCS against sham treatment, with a total of 167 participants. Due to the crossover design implemented in several studies, 94.5% of participants received active tDCS, while 91.1% received the sham intervention. The findings demonstrated significant improvements immediately post-tDCS (SMD 0.29, 95% CI 0.003-0.57, p = 0.05, I2 = 19%) and sustained benefits after two months or more (SMD 0.51, 95% CI 0.10-0.92, p = 0.01, I2 = 11%) in the untrained naming task. Similarly, for the trained naming tasks, significant improvement was observed (SMD 0.96; 95% CI 0.27 to 1.65; p < 0.01; I2 = 0%), even after the end of the tDCS treatment, with effects persisting for up to two months. (SMD 0.64; 95% CI 0.15 to 1.13; p = 0.01; I2 = 8%). However, no significant improvements were observed in cognitive tasks, untrained comprehension, language, and trained semantic tasks.

conclusionOur findings suggest that tDCS may be efficacious in augmenting naming tasks both acutely and over a prolonged period of up to two months. However, its effects on overall cognitive performance remain inconclusive. Further robust trials are warranted to elucidate its impact on cognitive function.

Indexed as

Aphasia, Primary ProgressiveTranscranial Direct Current StimulationHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAphasiaBrain stimulationCognitionPrimary progressive aphasiaTranscranial direct current stimulationVerbal fluency

Identifiers

PMID40856746

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.