Cited by 64Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation StudiesCognitive Functions and MemoryNeuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations

A systematic review and meta-analysis of transcranial direct current stimulation to remediate age-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults

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Indahlastari, Aprinda, Hardcastle, Cheshire, Albizu, Alejandro, Alvarez-Alvarado, Stacey, Boutzoukas, Emanuel M, Evangelista, Nicole D, Hausman, Hanna K, Kraft, Jessica +2 more·2021·Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a possible method for remediating age-associated cognitive decline in the older adult population. While tDCS has shown potential for improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults, stimulation outcomes on various cognitive domains have been mixed. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in four databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsychInfo. Search results were then screened for eligibility based on inclusion/exclusion criteria to only include studies where tDCS was applied to improve cognition in healthy older adults 65 years and above. Eligible studies were reviewed and demographic characteristics, tDCS dose parameters, study procedures, and cognitive outcomes were extracted. Reported effect sizes for active compared to sham group in representative cognitive domain were converted to Hedges' g. MAIN RESULTS: A total of thirteen studies involving healthy older adults (n=532, mean age=71.2+5.3 years) were included in the meta-analysis. The majority of included studies (94%) targeted the prefrontal cortex with stimulation intensity 1-2 mA using various electrode placements with anodes near the frontal region. Across all studies, we found Hedges' g values ranged from -0.31 to 1.85 as reported group effect sizes of active stimulation compared to sham. CONCLUSION: While observed outcomes varied, overall findings indicated promising effects of tDCS to remediate cognitive aging and thus deserves further exploration. Future characterization of inter-individual variability in tDCS dose response and applications in larger cohorts are warranted to further validate benefits of tDCS for cognition in healthy older adults.

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  • Prior evidence shows enhanced cognitive performance in domains of working memory and episodic memory and evidence of transfer effects following active stimulation with cognitive training in older adults.

    “This is surprising given prior evidence of enhanced cognitive performance in domains of working memory and episodic memory and evidence of transfer effects following active stimulation with cognitive training in older adults [33–36, 46, 47].”

    From Primary outcome from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults study (ACT): A tDCS and cognitive training randomized clinical trial (2023) · cites this paper as [47]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports improved working-memory performance in three of four studies pairing tDCS with extended cognitive training. The Results table (page unavailable) also reports a significant effect on a far-transfer task in a study paired with cognitive training. The review reports an episodic-memory benefit from active versus sham stimulation, but does not establish that this benefit followed stimulation paired with cognitive training. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Indahlastari, A., Hardcastle, C., Albizu, A., Alvarez-Alvarado, S., Boutzoukas, E. M., Evangelista, N. D., Hausman, H. K., Kraft, J., Langer, K., & Woods, A. J.
Affiliations
  • University of Florida Health (US)
  • University of Florida (US)
Corresponding author
Indahlastari, Aprinda
Venue
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Published
2021-03
Volume
Volume 17
Pages
971-990
ISSN
  • 1176-6328 (ISSN-L)
  • 1178-2021
OpenAlex
W3148929485
Cited by
64
References
123
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7
FWCI
1.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Dove Medical Press (Taylor and Francis Group) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • Brain Research Foundation
  • McKnight Foundation
  • Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Research Foundation
  • University of Florida (T32HL134621, UL1 TR001427)
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR001427)
  • Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida (UL1TR001427)
  • National Institute on Aging (R01AG054077, T32AG020499, K01AG050707, T32AG061892)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (T32HL134621)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations
Keywords
transcranial direct current stimulation, age-related cognitive decline, cognitive aging, older adults, prefrontal cortex stimulation, sham stimulation, cognitive enhancement, electrode placement

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