Adjuvant transcranial direct current stimulation for treating Alzheimer's disease: A case study
Estimulação transcraniana por corrente continua no tratamento adjuvante da Doença de Alzheimer: estudo de caso
Dement. neuropsychol; 10 (2), 2016
Publication year: 2016
ABSTRACT We report the case of a 73-year-old male patient with Alzheimer's disease who underwent 10-daily transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions. tDCS was applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as an adjuvant to the traditional treatment that the patient was receiving, which consisted of anticholinergic medication and cognitive training. The data were qualitatively analyzed and are presented in an analytic and structured form. The effects on cognitive performance were evaluated using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were assessed with a set of tests consisting of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the Blessed Dementia Scale and the Disability Assessment for Dementia. The data obtained revealed that the application of tDCS had a stabilizing effect on overall patient cognitive function and led to improved performance on all the secondary outcome tests. These preliminary results indicate that tDCS is a potential adjuvant therapeutic tool for cognitive rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease .
RESUMO Nós relatamos o caso de um paciente com 73 anos de idade, diagnosticado com doença de Alzheimer, submetido a 10 sessões diárias de estimulação transcraniana por corrente continua (ETCC). A ETCC foi aplicada sobre o córtex dorsolateral esquerdo como terapêutica adjuvante ao tratamento tradicional que o paciente recebia (medicação anticolinérgica e treino cognitivo). Os dados foram analisados qualitativamente e apresentados em um formato analítico e estruturado. O desempenho foi avaliado através da Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale, como desfecho primário.