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Effect of combined transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive training on brain microstructure and network homogeneity in late-life depression: a pilot study
Jung-Hee Ha, Yu Fang, Chandan Kittur, Greg O. Cron, Ok.-K. SONG, Jin Young Park, Jin Hyung Lee. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2025-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Cognitive training, whether combined with active or sham tDCS, led to significantly increased fractional anisotropy averaged across all brain regions, indicating an overall improvement in white matter integrity. However, tDCS did not provide additional benefit to white matter integrity. A higher baseline anterior-posterior DMN association correlated with better cognitive function, and treatment remission increased posterior DMN homogeneity. Enhancements in cingulum white matter integrity were associated with improvements in depressive symptoms, cognition, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Cognitive training leads to improved white matter integrity in older adults experiencing cognitive deficit and depression. Changes in the structural integrity of the cingulum can predict clinical outcomes. No additional benefits of tDCS on white matter integrity or network homogeneity were observed. Clinical trial registration: Registry: Clinical Research Information Service; URL: https://cris.nih.go.kr; Unique identifier: KCT0006594.
Key findings
- Cognitive training, whether combined with active or sham tDCS, led to significantly increased fractional anisotropy averaged across all brain regions, indicating an overall improvement in white matter integrity.
- However, tDCS did not provide additional benefit to white matter integrity.
- A higher baseline anterior-posterior DMN association correlated with better cognitive function, and treatment remission increased posterior DMN homogeneity.
- Enhancements in cingulum white matter integrity were associated with improvements in depressive symptoms, cognition, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels.
- Cognitive training leads to improved white matter integrity in older adults experiencing cognitive deficit and depression.
Why it matters
This pilot study found that cognitive training improved white matter integrity, but transcranial direct current stimulation provided no additional benefit. It does not show that this combined treatment cures, treats or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 39/100
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 (Journal of Affective Disorders Reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Journal of Affective Disorders Reports: journal h-index 38 (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 | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.3× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jin Hyung Lee: h-index 20 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Stanford University: institution h-index 2,684 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40995064) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100973
- PubMed: 40995064
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Affective Disorders Reports →
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
Ha, J.-H., Fang, Y., Kittur, C., Cron, G. O., Ok.-K., S. O. N. G., Park, J. Y., et al. (2025). Effect of combined transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive training on brain microstructure and network homogeneity in late-life depression: a pilot study. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100973
Vancouver
Ha J.-H, Fang Y, Kittur C, Cron GO, Ok.-K. SONG, Park JY, et al. Effect of combined transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive training on brain microstructure and network homogeneity in late-life depression: a pilot study. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100973. PMID: 40995064.
BibTeX
@article{ha2025-40995064,
author = {Ha, Jung-Hee and Fang, Yu and Kittur, Chandan and Cron, Greg O. and Ok.-K., S. O. N. G. and Park, Jin Young and Lee, Jin Hyung},
title = {{Effect of combined transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive training on brain microstructure and network homogeneity in late-life depression: a pilot study}},
journal = {Journal of Affective Disorders Reports},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100973},
pmid = {40995064},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100973}
}
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