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Double Blind Trial of DC Polarization in FTD

NCT00117858 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2017-07-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This project is designed to test how direct current (DC) electrical polarization of the brain affects language and behavior in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). FTD is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. It causes profound disturbances of language and other cognitive functions and often results in highly disruptive behavior. There is no effective treatment for the behavioral disorder or cognitive deficits in FTD. In an earlier study, the researchers used DC polarization to the primary motor cortex to enhance prefrontal function in healthy subjects. The experiment resulted in greater verbal fluency. In a separate study of five patients with FTD, a similar effect on verbal fluency was produced. The object of the current study is to replicate these findings in a larger group of patients and to see if the results carry over into "real world" behavior.

Participants will be 20 patients aged 35 to 75 years with FTD, referred to the Cognitive Neuroscience Section.

Participants will be tested in two sessions, separated by at least 48 hours. In one session they will receive 40 minutes of anodal DC polarization; in the other they will receive 40 minutes of sham polarization. Participants will be tested for language, memory, and reaction time before and 20 minutes after the polarization. For the behavior portion of the study, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory will be completed by an investigator with the caretaker on admission (covering the preceding week) and again, by telephone, 1 week after discharge, to cover the first week home.

Participants will receive no lasting benefit as a result of the study, but the study is likely to yield generalizable knowledge on the effects of DC polarization treatment in FTD.

Conditions

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Anodal DC polarization of left prefrontal cortex

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

    lead NIH

Study Design

Purpose
TREATMENT

Eligibility

Min Age
35 Years
Max Age
75 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2005-06-28
Completion
2007-05-10

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00117858 on ClinicalTrials.gov