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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Ybrain Inc. | INDUSTRY |
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The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation and computerized cognitive training on executive functioning in individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. In this study, investigators will use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Previous studies have demonstrated that tDCS over the DLPFC led to improvements in attention deficit caused by stroke, Parkinson's Disease, and major depression as well as language deficits caused by neurodegenerative conditions such as primary progressive aphasia or mild cognitive impairment. The investigators seek to expand on this literature by investigating how anodal tDCS paired with and without cognitive training will impact executive functioning in PPA with Frontotemporal Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease pathology and Mild Cognitive Impairment/Alzheimer's Disease (e.g. shifting, updating, monitoring, and manipulation).
In this within-subject cross-over protocol, all participants will receive both, cognitive training and brain stimulation tDCS. Participants will be randomly assigned to begin with either cognitive training and brain stimulation (dual therapy) or just brain stimulation (monotherapy) and will receive the complementary therapy program in the second round of treatment. During each period of therapy, participants will receive 50 treatment sessions over the course of approximately 10 weeks. The computerized cognitive training and brain stimulation will both be preprogrammed to be done at home by the participant.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS on the DLPFC + Cognitive Intervention(s) | Experimental | Participants will receive active tDCS on DLPFC + Cognitive Intervention(s) first and then receive only active tDCS Intervention after a three-month washout period. |
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| Active tDCS on the DLPFC only | Experimental | Participants will receive active tDCS on the DLPFC-only intervention first and then receive active tDCS + Cognitive Intervention(s) after a three-month washout period. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computerized Cognitive Training | Other | Computerized Cognitive training (BrainHQ or Constant Therapy) |
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| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in language composite outcome | A single language composite outcome will be generated by computing the mean of the z-scores the following oral and written naming, spelling, and sentence comprehension and repetition tasks: Philadelphia Naming Test (Short Form), Boston Naming Test, Hopkins Action Naming Assessment, Hopkins Dysgraphia Battery, National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Sentence Repetition. The investigators will take the z-score for each task and aggregate them in order to get a composite z-score. | Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| Change in Executive Composite Outcome | A single executive composite will be generated by computing the mean of the z-scores of the tasks below reflecting new learning and memory, processing speed and executive functioning, attention and working memory, and verbal fluency respectively: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test A and B, Attention Network Task, Digit and Spatial Span, and Category fluency and Verbal Fluency. The investigators will take the z-score for each task and aggregate them in order to get a composite z-score. | Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| Change in Global Cognitive Scores | This will be measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Scored out of 30 points, higher is better. | Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Selective attention and cognitive flexibility | This will be measured using the Attention Network Task (ANT). An efficiency score for executive attention is derived by comparing scores on trials with congruent flankers to trials with incongruent flankers. Subjects will tend to be slower and less accurate for incongruent trials, the size of the different indicates the extent to which an individual can supress conflicting response tendencies. A larger difference between congruent and incongruent trials score indicates a lower executive efficiency. |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria for MRI participation:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Kyrana Tsapkini, PhD | Johns Hopkins University | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore | Maryland | 21287 | United States |
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| Release Date | Unrelease Date | Unrelease Date Unknown | Reset Date | MCP Release Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 2026 |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D060825 | Cognitive Dysfunction |
| D018888 | Aphasia, Primary Progressive |
| D003704 | Dementia |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D003072 | Cognition Disorders |
| D019965 | Neurocognitive Disorders |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
| D001927 | Brain Diseases |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D065908 | Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D004599 | Electric Stimulation Therapy |
| D013812 | Therapeutics |
| D003295 | Convulsive Therapy |
| D013000 | Psychiatric Somatic Therapies |
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Subjects meeting eligibility criteria will be randomized to receive either tDCS + cognitive training or only tDCS. After 50 treatment sessions (approximately 10 weeks) participants will switch to the other condition.
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| Active tDCS (tDCS) on DLPFC | Device | Device: Active tDCS on DLPFC Stimulation will be delivered by a constant current stimulator (Mind STIM). The electrical current will be administered to a pre-specified region of the brain (DLPFC). The stimulation will be delivered at an intensity of 2 milliamperes (mA) (estimated current density 0.04 mA/cm2; estimated total charge 0.048 Coulombs/cm2) in a ramp-like fashion for a maximum of 20 minutes. |
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| Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| Change in attention and task switching | This will be measured using Trail Making Task and N-Back (2-back) scores. The Trail Making Test is scored by time. Less time needed to complete the task is indicative of better task-switching. The N-back task is a well-established task that assesses working memory and working memory capacity. Participants are presented with words in sequence and instructed to reply whether the current word matches the one presented 2 words ago. Scoring will be based on the total number of correct responses (hit rate) minus the number of incorrect responses (false alarm rate), where a greater score is better. | Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| Change in working memory capacity. | This will be measured using Digit Span Backward for verbal working memory and spatial span Backward for spatial working memory. The digit span backward is a well-established task that assesses rote immediate verbal memory and working memory. Participants are presented with a series of digits and are instructed to repeat the digits in the reverse order. The spatial span task is an analog to the Digit Span Task, but instead the participants are presented with an array of squares which are sequentially presented and must be touched in the same order. For both tasks scoring is based on the number of digits or blocks shown in a trial (i.e. 1,7 is 2 digits). There are two trials for each span, if both trials are correct the score is a whole number (i.e. 2). If one trial is incorrect in a span, subtract 0.5 from that tier (i.e. 1.5). Increase in score from before to after intervention is considered a benefit. | Before intervention, immediately after intervention |
| D002493 |
| Central Nervous System Diseases |
| D009422 | Nervous System Diseases |
| D001037 | Aphasia |
| D013064 | Speech Disorders |
| D007806 | Language Disorders |
| D003147 | Communication Disorders |
| D019954 | Neurobehavioral Manifestations |
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D004191 | Behavioral Disciplines and Activities |
| D004597 | Electroshock |
| D011580 | Psychological Techniques |