Cognitive and Neuropathophysiological Outcomes of Gamma-tACS in Dementia: A Systematic Review

AbstractDespite the numerous pharmacological interventions targeting dementia, no disease-modifying therapy is available, and the prognosis remains unfavorable. A promising perspective involves tackling high-frequency gamma-band (>  30 Hz) oscillations involved in hippocampal-mediated memory processes, which are impaired from the early stages of typical Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Particularly, the positive effects of gamma-band entrainment on mouse models of AD have prompted researchers to translate such findings into huma ns using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a methodology that allows the entrainment of endogenous cortical oscillations in a frequency-specific manner. This systematic review examines the state-of-the-art on the use of gamma-tACS in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia pa tients to shed light on its feasibility, therapeutic impact, and clinical effectiveness. A systematic search from two databases yielded 499 records resulting in 10 included studies and a total of 273 patients. The results were arranged in single-session and multi-session protocols. Most of the studi es demonstrated cognitive improvement following gamma-tACS, and some studies showed promising effects of gamma-tACS on neuropathological markers, suggesting the feasibility of gamma-tACS in these patients anyhow far from the strong evidence available for mouse models. Nonetheless, the small number o f studies and their wide variability in terms of aims, parame...
Source: Neuropsychology Review - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research