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Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Cognitive Training in the Treatment of Apathy in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial
Nguyen JP, Boutoleau-Bretonniere C, Lefaucheur JP, Suarez A, Gaillard H, Chapelet G, Abad S, Van Langhenhove A et al.. Reviews on recent clinical trials, 2018-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Methods/design This article primarily describes the design of a monocentre, randomized, doubleblind trial to be conducted in France to evaluate the effect of the combination of tDCS and cognitive training on apathy compared to a group treated exclusively by cognitive training (sham tDCS). Twenty- four patients under the age of 90 years with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (Mini Mental State Examination score between 15 and 26/30) (MMSE)) presenting clinically significant apathy evaluated by the Apathy Inventory (AI) and the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory (NPI) apathy subscore will be enrolled. The primary endpoint will be a significant improvement of the AI score by comparing baseline measures (D-15) to those recorded one month after stopping treatment (D44).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Nguyen, J. P., Boutoleau-Bretonniere, C., Lefaucheur, J. P., Suarez, A., Gaillard, H., Chapelet, G., et al. (2018). Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Cognitive Training in the Treatment of Apathy in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial. Reviews on recent clinical trials. https://doi.org/10.2174/1574887113666180416153316
Vancouver
Nguyen JP, Boutoleau-Bretonniere C, Lefaucheur JP, Suarez A, Gaillard H, Chapelet G, et al. Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Cognitive Training in the Treatment of Apathy in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial. Reviews on recent clinical trials. 2018. doi:10.2174/1574887113666180416153316. PMID: 29658441.
BibTeX
@article{nguyen2018-29658441,
author = {Nguyen, J. P. and Boutoleau-Bretonniere, C. and Lefaucheur, J. P. and Suarez, A. and Gaillard, H. and Chapelet, G. and Abad, S. and Van Langhenhove, A. and others},
title = {{Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Cognitive Training in the Treatment of Apathy in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Study Protocol for a Randomized Trial}},
journal = {Reviews on recent clinical trials},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.2174/1574887113666180416153316},
pmid = {29658441},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2174/1574887113666180416153316}
}
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Methods/design This article primarily describes the design of a monocentre, randomized, doubleblind trial to be conducted in France to evaluate the effect of the combination of tDCS and cognitive training on apathy compared to a group treated exclusively by cognitive training (sham tDCS).
- Twenty- four patients under the age of 90 years with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (Mini Mental State Examination score between 15 and 26/30) (MMSE)) presenting clinically significant apathy evaluated by the Apathy Inventory (AI) and the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory (NPI) apathy subscore will be enrolled.
- The primary endpoint will be a significant improvement of the AI score by comparing baseline measures (D-15) to those recorded one month after stopping treatment (D44).
Why it matters
This is a protocol for a 24-patient trial testing whether transcranial direct current stimulation combined with cognitive training reduces apathy in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. No results are reported; the paper only describes the planned design and endpoints.
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Study details
- Participants16
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Reviews on recent clinical trials) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials: journal h-index 43 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| 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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 16 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 7 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| 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 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Laure de Decker: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri-Mondor: institution h-index 556 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29658441) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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