Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2026
Training-induced cognitive coupling emerges under sham but not active transcranial electrical stimulation in older adults: a triple-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study.
Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
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Abstract
introductionNon-pharmacological methods including training and low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) have demonstrated potential in delaying cognitive decline with aging. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of combining repeated tES targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with task training on cognitive function in the healthy elderly.
methodsIn this triple-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study, fifty-five participants received ten 20-min sessions of concurrent task training and stimulation, including anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS + T), theta transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS + T), or sham tES (sham + T). The training consisted of cognitive N-back tasks and dynamic balance exercises delivered across sessions. Attention Network Test (ANT) and the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT) were administered before and after the intervention, with a four-week follow-up. Group × Time effects were analyzed using linear or generalized linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for age, sex, and baseline cognitive status.
resultImproved overall reaction time (RT) and executive network efficiency were observed in all groups after intervention in ANT. Participants in the sham + T group showed greater improvements with long-term efficacy across all cue-related conditions, and significantly faster RT than tDCS + T group under the double-cue condition at follow-up was observed (χ
conclusionThe observed cognitive improvements likely resulted from training. The absence of add-on effects of tES suggested a potential cancellation between the stimulation-induced modulation and training-driven neural activation induced by task training. Improvements in SCWT performance appear to rely less on orienting or executive engagement after intervention, indicating a shift toward more automatized resource-efficient processing.
trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00031042, Registered June 16, 2023.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.