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Published online before print June 4, 2008, doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000317060.43722.a3)
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NEUROLOGY 2008;71:493-498
© 2008 American Academy of Neurology

Transcranial direct current stimulation improves recognition memory in Alzheimer disease

R. Ferrucci, PsyD, F. Mameli, PsyD, I. Guidi, MD, S. Mrakic-Sposta, BS, M. Vergari, BS, S. Marceglia, MS, F. Cogiamanian, MD, S. Barbieri, MD, E. Scarpini, MD and A. Priori, MD, PhD

From the Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Italy.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Alberto Priori, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Padiglione Ponti, V. F. Sforza 35, Milan, 20122 Italy alberto.priori{at}unimi.it.

Objective: To evaluate the cognitive effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the temporoparietal areas in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods: In 10 patients with probable AD, we delivered anodal tDCS (AtDCS), cathodal tDCS (CtDCS), and sham tDCS (StDCS) over the temporoparietal areas in three sessions. In each session recognition memory and visual attention were tested at baseline (prestimulation) and 30 minutes after tDCS ended (poststimulation).

Results: After AtDCS, accuracy of the word recognition memory task increased (prestimulation: 15.5 ± 0.9, poststimulation: 17.9 ± 0.8, p = 0.0068) whereas after CtDCS it decreased (15.8 ± 0.6 vs 13.2 ± 0.9, p = 0.011) and after StDCS it remained unchanged (16.3 ± 0.7 vs 16.0 ± 1.0, p = 0.75). tDCS left the visual attention-reaction times unchanged.

Conclusion: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered over the temporoparietal areas can specifically affect a recognition memory performance in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Because tDCS is simple, safe and inexpensive, our finding prompts studies using repeated tDCS, in conjunction with other therapeutic interventions for treating patients with AD.

Abbreviations: AD = Alzheimer disease; ANOVA = analysis of variance; AtDCS = anodal tDCS; ChEI = cholinesterase inhibitors; CtDCS = cathodal tDCS; DI = discrimination index; DSM-IV = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–IV; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; NINCDS-ADRDA = National Institute of Neurologic and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association; RT = reaction times; rTMS = repetitive TMS; StDCS = sham tDCS; tDCS = transcranial direct current stimulation; TMS = transcranial magnetic stimulation; TP = temporoparietal areas; tRT = total reaction time; WRT = word recognition task.

e-Pub ahead of print on June 4, 2008, at www.neurology.org.

*The first two authors contributed equally.

Disclosure: The authors report no disclosures.

Received December 13, 2007. Accepted in final form April 10, 2008.






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