Evaluating Safety and Effects of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation tACS in Adults Over 40 With Frontotemporal Dementia

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the safety, feasibility, and clinical effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation tACS in patients with Frontotemporal Dementia FTD. FTD is associated with changes in brain oscillations, and restoring these oscillations has shown promising results in animal models by reducing toxic protein buildup and improving cognitive function. This study aims to assess how a single session of tACS affects cognitive performance, brain synchronization, and neurophysiological markers in people with FTD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups in a crossover design. Group 1 receives a real 60-minute tACS session first, followed by a sham placebo tACS session one week later. Group 2 starts with the sham session and then receives the real tACS session after one week. The real tACS involves a 2.5 mA electrical current applied to the brain, while the sham session mimics the process but stops the current shortly after starting to keep participants unaware of the treatment type. During the study, participants will undergo cognitive tests and neurophysiological assessments immediately before and after each stimulation session. These include fluency tests, memory tasks, and EEG recordings to measure brain activity changes. Researchers will monitor safety and tolerability for about one week after each session. The study is designed to identify clinical effects, brain changes, and possible predictors of response to tACS in FTD patients.

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Frontotemporal Dementia