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Baseline Performance Predicts tDCS-Mediated Improvements in Language Symptoms in Primary Progressive Aphasia
McConathey EM, White NC, Gervits F, Ash S, Coslett HB, Grossman M, Hamilton RH.. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 2017-06-30
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by insidious irreversible loss of language abilities. Prior studies suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) directed toward language areas of the brain may help to ameliorate symptoms of PPA. In the present sham-controlled study, we examined whether tDCS could be used to enhance language abilities (e.g., picture naming) in individuals with PPA variants primarily characterized by difficulties with speech production (non-fluent and logopenic). Participants were recruited from the Penn Frontotemporal Dementia Center to receive 10 days of both real and sham tDCS (counter-balanced, full-crossover design; participants were naïve to stimulation condition). A battery of language tests was administered at baseline, immediately post-tDCS (real and sham), and 6 weeks and 12 weeks following stimulation. When we accounted for individuals' baseline performance, our analyses demonstrated a stratification of tDCS effects. Individuals who performed worse at baseline showed tDCS-related improvements in global language performance, grammatical comprehension and semantic processing. Individuals who performed better at baseline showed a slight tDCS-related benefit on our speech repetition metric. Real tDCS may improve language performance in some individuals with PPA. Severity of deficits at baseline may be an important factor in predicting which patients will respond positively to language-targeted tDCS therapies. Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02928848.
Key findings
- Prior studies suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) directed toward language areas of the brain may help to ameliorate symptoms of PPA.
- When we accounted for individuals' baseline performance, our analyses demonstrated a stratification of tDCS effects.
Why it matters
In this sham-controlled study, people with primary progressive aphasia who performed worse at baseline showed language improvements with transcranial direct current stimulation, while those who performed better at baseline showed only a slight benefit on speech repetition. This is a small early study of symptom relief in a related condition, not a treatment, cure or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in human neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience: journal h-index 221 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 84 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.6 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Roy H. Hamilton: h-index 58 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28713256) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00347
- PubMed: 28713256
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
McConathey, E. M., White, N. C., Gervits, F., Ash, S., Coslett, H. B., Grossman, M., et al. (2017). Baseline Performance Predicts tDCS-Mediated Improvements in Language Symptoms in Primary Progressive Aphasia. Frontiers in human neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00347
Vancouver
McConathey EM, White NC, Gervits F, Ash S, Coslett HB, Grossman M, et al. Baseline Performance Predicts tDCS-Mediated Improvements in Language Symptoms in Primary Progressive Aphasia. Frontiers in human neuroscience. 2017. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00347. PMID: 28713256.
BibTeX
@article{mcconathey2017-28713256,
author = {McConathey, E. M. and White, N. C. and Gervits, F. and Ash, S. and Coslett, H. B. and Grossman, M. and Hamilton, R. H.},
title = {{Baseline Performance Predicts tDCS-Mediated Improvements in Language Symptoms in Primary Progressive Aphasia}},
journal = {Frontiers in human neuroscience},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2017.00347},
pmid = {28713256},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00347}
}
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