Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.

<h4>Background</h4>Despite transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated encouraging potential for modulating the circadian rhythm, little is known about how well and sustainably tDCS might improve the subjective sleep quality in older adults. This study sought to deter...

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Main Authors: Hanna Lu, Xi Ni, Sandra Sau Man Chan, Calvin Pak Wing Cheng, Waichi Chan, Linda Chiu Wa Lam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317700
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author Hanna Lu
Xi Ni
Sandra Sau Man Chan
Calvin Pak Wing Cheng
Waichi Chan
Linda Chiu Wa Lam
author_facet Hanna Lu
Xi Ni
Sandra Sau Man Chan
Calvin Pak Wing Cheng
Waichi Chan
Linda Chiu Wa Lam
author_sort Hanna Lu
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Despite transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated encouraging potential for modulating the circadian rhythm, little is known about how well and sustainably tDCS might improve the subjective sleep quality in older adults. This study sought to determine how tDCS affected sleep quality and cognition, as well as how well pre-treatment sleep quality predicted tDCS effects on domain-specific cognitive functions in patients with mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease (NCD-AD).<h4>Methods</h4>This clinical trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of tDCS and cognitive training in mild NCD-AD patients (n =  201). Over the course of four weeks, patients were randomized to receive either tDCS plus working memory training, or sham tDCS plus working memory training, or tDCS plus controlled cognitive training. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measured subjective sleep quality. The Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) was used to evaluate domain-specific cognitive functions.<h4>Results</h4>Recurrent tDCS treatments enhanced subjective sleep quality and cognition considerably. The poor sleepers (i.e., PSQI >  5) who received tDCS treatment had more cognitive benefits (p =  0.031, Cohen's d =  0.605) and sleep improvements (p <  0.001, Cohen's d =  1.209) in comparison to cognitive training. Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality was linked to tDCS-induced improvement in memory function.<h4>Conclusion</h4>During the course of two months, repeated tDCS could considerably enhance subjective sleep quality. For the cognitive benefits of the treatments, the status of pre-treatment subjective sleep quality is crucial. More thorough research is necessary to explore an efficient approach to managing comorbidities for preclinical AD patients.
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spelling doaj-art-84f4ae8639f1455ab17c55aec32c02b62025-02-05T05:31:55ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01201e031770010.1371/journal.pone.0317700Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.Hanna LuXi NiSandra Sau Man ChanCalvin Pak Wing ChengWaichi ChanLinda Chiu Wa Lam<h4>Background</h4>Despite transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated encouraging potential for modulating the circadian rhythm, little is known about how well and sustainably tDCS might improve the subjective sleep quality in older adults. This study sought to determine how tDCS affected sleep quality and cognition, as well as how well pre-treatment sleep quality predicted tDCS effects on domain-specific cognitive functions in patients with mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease (NCD-AD).<h4>Methods</h4>This clinical trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of tDCS and cognitive training in mild NCD-AD patients (n =  201). Over the course of four weeks, patients were randomized to receive either tDCS plus working memory training, or sham tDCS plus working memory training, or tDCS plus controlled cognitive training. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measured subjective sleep quality. The Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) was used to evaluate domain-specific cognitive functions.<h4>Results</h4>Recurrent tDCS treatments enhanced subjective sleep quality and cognition considerably. The poor sleepers (i.e., PSQI >  5) who received tDCS treatment had more cognitive benefits (p =  0.031, Cohen's d =  0.605) and sleep improvements (p <  0.001, Cohen's d =  1.209) in comparison to cognitive training. Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality was linked to tDCS-induced improvement in memory function.<h4>Conclusion</h4>During the course of two months, repeated tDCS could considerably enhance subjective sleep quality. For the cognitive benefits of the treatments, the status of pre-treatment subjective sleep quality is crucial. More thorough research is necessary to explore an efficient approach to managing comorbidities for preclinical AD patients.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317700
spellingShingle Hanna Lu
Xi Ni
Sandra Sau Man Chan
Calvin Pak Wing Cheng
Waichi Chan
Linda Chiu Wa Lam
Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
PLoS ONE
title Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
title_full Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
title_fullStr Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
title_full_unstemmed Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
title_short Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.
title_sort pre treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tdcs effects in preclinical alzheimer s disease patients secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317700
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