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Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment of Alzheimer´s Disease

NCT02438202 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 15

Last updated 2025-04-03

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) induces a cerebral seizure by electrical stimulation under general anesthesia and muscle relaxation, is regarded as a highly efficient (for specific and severe psychiatric disorders) and extremely safe modern treatment option.

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder which is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration accompanied by declining activities of daily living, by a variety of behavioral disturbances and by neuropsychiatric symptoms. The clinical progression of disease can be delayed by pharmaceutical therapies like acetylcholinesterase inhibition (e.g. rivastigmine) for 6 to 12 months at most.

Along with the well-known biomarkers of AD (Aß- and tau-proteins) a lower brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level is since recently being considered as a negative predictor for the further disease course. In animal experimental studies it was possible to arrest the disease progression with the aid of neurotrophic substances. Many single studies, but also a number of meta-analyses show primary gray matter atrophy in hippocampal, parahippocampal and medial temporal brain regions.

Strikingly, ECT yields exact opposite effects to those caused by AD: an ECT series leads to an increase of serum BDNF-levels in patients. Parallel to this observation evidence exists for gray matter volume gain after an ECT series, especially for the hippocampus.

There is sufficient clinical experience regarding the use of ECT in AD-patients, mainly on the basis of following indications: a) affective disorders and b) behavioral disturbances. A positive effect of ECT on the symptoms of agitation and aggression was assessed in AD patients alongside with a very good tolerability.

To investigate the potential salutary effects of ECT on AD the investigators designed a pilot study with the following concept: Patients with a confirmed AD diagnosis and preexisting stable antidementia medication over at least 6 months will receive a modified maintenance ECT over a total of 27 weeks.

In the proposed pilot study, the investigators hypothesize that cognitive functioning of AD patients will improve significantly and independently from affective symptoms, when initial and final examinations are compared. The affirmation of the hypothesis would provide not only further insight into the mechanism of action of ECT but also a very important reference point for the development of new treatment options for a so-far incurable disease.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Thymatron IV device (Somatics)

Patients will be treated with a modified routine ECT/maintenance ECT series.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Alexander Sartorius, MD, PhD · Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-12-31
Primary Completion
2028-01-31
Completion
2028-01-31

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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 NCT02438202 on ClinicalTrials.gov