Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41034500›Full record

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

Effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Ying Tang, Dan Liu, Sijia Li, Linqing Zhu, Yu Zhu, Nini Shi, Yunhang Wang, Ying Zhu, Tian Gao, Yuxia Ma

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 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Efficacy of transcranial alternating current stimulation on cognitive function in patients with dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Pooled it
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

10 authors.

Ying Tang *School of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Dan Liu *Outpatient Department, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Sijia LiChinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College School of Nursing, Beijing, China.
Linqing ZhuChinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College School of Nursing, Beijing, China.
Yu ZhuSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Nini ShiSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Yunhang WangSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Ying ZhuSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Tian GaoSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China.
Yuxia MaSchool of Nursing, Evidence-Based Nursing Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730011, China. yuxiama@lzu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8154-8198

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 72474092
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveNon-invasive brain stimulation has been shown to benefit cognitive function in older adults. However, the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on cognitive function in older adults have not been consistent across studies and there are limitations in the evidence for tACS. This study aims to investigate whether tACS improves cognitive function and different cognitive domains (e.g. learning memory and executive function) in older adults and older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

methodsA systematic search was conducted in seven databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) up to 25 December 2024. Effect sizes were expressed as standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals, and a random-effects model was applied.

resultsFourteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, with a relatively low risk of bias. tACS had a significant effect on immediate memory (SMD = 0.66, p<0.01) and delayed memory (SMD = 0.68, p<0.01), but no significant effect on associative memory (SMD =-0.25, p = 0.61). Subgroup analyses revealed that tACS intervention significantly improved immediate and delayed memory in older adults with AD, but had no significant effect on healthy older adults.

conclusiontACS intervention significantly improves immediate memory and delayed memory in older adults with AD. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to clarify the specific effects of tACS on various cognitive domains, and optimal stimulation parameters should be investigated to guide clinical practice.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseCognitionCognitive DysfunctionTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAgedHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAlzheimer's diseaseCognitive functionHealthy older adultsLearning and memoryTranscranial alternating current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID41034500

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.