Status:

COMPLETED

tACS for Amyloid-β Reduction in Alzheimer's Disease

Lead Sponsor:

Massachusetts General Hospital

Conditions:

Alzheimer Disease

Eligibility:

All Genders

45+ years

Phase:

NA

Brief Summary

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque buildup and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in the brain, as well as widespread neurodegeneration. The evidence suggests that both amyloid...

Detailed Description

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque buildup and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in the brain, as well as widespread neurodegeneration. There is no current treatments that alt...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Clinical Diagnosis of mild AD defined by: Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) = 0.5-1, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) \>/= 20, Demonstration or history of memory impairments
  • Amyloid positive PET imaging
  • At least 45 years old
  • On a stable dose of medications for memory loss including cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g. donepezil, rivastigmine or memantine) as defined as 6 consecutive weeks of treatment at an unchanging dose
  • Intelligence Quotient (IQ) \> 85 as determined by the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) and no history of intellectual disability

Exclusion

  • Current history of poorly controlled migraines including chronic medication for migraine prevention
  • Current or past history of any neurological disorder other than dementia, such as epilepsy, stroke, progressive neurologic disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis) or intracranial brain lesions; and history of previous neurosurgery or head trauma that resulted in residual neurologic impairment.
  • Past or current history of major depression, bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders, or any other major psychiatric condition.
  • Contraindication for undergoing MRI or receiving Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or tACS,
  • • History of fainting spells of unknown or undetermined etiology that might constitute seizures.
  • History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG or immediate (1st degree relative) family history of epilepsy; with the exception of a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizure) in the judgment of the investigator.
  • Chronic (particularly) uncontrolled medical conditions that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.).
  • Metal implants (excluding dental fillings) or devices such as pacemaker, medication pump, nerve stimulator, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) unit, ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, cochlear implant, unless cleared by the study MD.
  • Substance abuse or dependence within the past six months.
  • Medications will be reviewed by the responsible MD and a decision about inclusion will be made based on the following: The patient's past medical history, drug dose, history of recent medication changes or duration of treatment, and combination of Central Nervous System (CNS) active drugs.
  • All female participants that are pre-menopausal will be required to have a pregnancy test; any participant who is pregnant will not be enrolled in the study.
  • BMI \> 40 kg/m2. We will limit the BMI to \<40 kg/m2 because of weight limits of the scanner bed and width limits of the MRI.
  • Subjects who, in the investigator's opinion, might not be suitable for the study
  • A hair style or head dress that prevents electrode contact with the scalp or would interfere with the stimulation (for example: thick braids, hair weave, afro, wig)

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

November 27 2017

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

May 14 2019

Estimated Enrollment :

17 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT03290326

Start Date

November 27 2017

End Date

May 14 2019

Last Update

August 22 2022

Active Locations (1)

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Page 1 of 1 (1 locations)

1

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215