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Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Cognitive Training Enhanced Performance and Theta Activity in Adults With Cognitive Impairment
Susana Cid‐Fernández, Ana Nieto‐Vieites, Arturo X. Pereiro, Fernando Dı́az. Psicothema, 2025-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Only the real-tACS group improved in the oddball task and exhibited increased event-related EEG amplitude in the theta range. These findings suggest that theta-tACS can improve cognitive performance in individuals with cognitive decline at both behavioral and psychophysiological levels, supporting its potential for alleviating cognitive decline in elderly populations.
Key findings
- Only the real-tACS group improved in the oddball task and exhibited increased event-related EEG amplitude in the theta range.
- These findings suggest that theta-tACS can improve cognitive performance in individuals with cognitive decline at both behavioral and psychophysiological levels, supporting its potential for alleviating cognitive decline in elderly populations.
Why it matters
This study found that only the group receiving real transcranial alternating current stimulation improved on an oddball task and showed increased theta-range EEG activity. It is a small study and does not show whether this stimulation prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants27
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psicothema) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Psicothema: journal h-index 77 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 27 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 | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.2× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Fernando Dı́az: h-index 26 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Universidade de Santiago de Compostela: institution h-index 571 (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 40237781) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Cid‐Fernández, S., Nieto‐Vieites, A., Pereiro, A. X., & Dı́az, F. (2025). Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Cognitive Training Enhanced Performance and Theta Activity in Adults With Cognitive Impairment. Psicothema. https://doi.org/10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.11
Vancouver
Cid‐Fernández S, Nieto‐Vieites A, Pereiro AX, Dı́az F. Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Cognitive Training Enhanced Performance and Theta Activity in Adults With Cognitive Impairment. Psicothema. 2025. doi:10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.11. PMID: 40237781.
BibTeX
@article{cidfernandez2025-40237781,
author = {Cid‐Fernández, Susana and Nieto‐Vieites, Ana and Pereiro, Arturo X. and Dı́az, Fernando},
title = {{Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Cognitive Training Enhanced Performance and Theta Activity in Adults With Cognitive Impairment}},
journal = {Psicothema},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.11},
pmid = {40237781},
url = {https://doi.org/10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.11}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.