Effects of short- and long-term neurostimulation (tDCS) on Alzheimer’s disease patients: two randomized studies

Abstract Background Non-invasive brain stimulation is an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Aims The purpose of the two studies presented here is to compare the short- and long-term effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (t-DCS) on two samples of advanced AD patients. Methods In Study 1 26 patients were involved in a 10-day anodal vs. sham tDCS intervention stimulating the left frontotem-poral cortex. A pre–post test assessment was run using two different neurocognitive tests and EEG data. The same protocol was used in Study 2, which involved 18 different patients who underwent the same intervention 10days a month for 8months. Results Results confirmed how the t-DCS intervention was effective both in the short- and the long-term to slow down the progression of AD on specific neurophysiological domains and, to a certain extent, on neurophysiological activity.D iscussiontDCS appear to be effective and to affect differently neurocognitive and neurophysiological functions when comparing short and long-term outcomes. ConclusionsAnodal-tDCS is an effective way to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s both in the short and long term. It can also affect the EEG patterns, but this requires a more protracted intervention.