The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on global cognitive function, visuospatial function, and executive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: a meta-analysis

Category	Detail
Condition
Key Mechanisms	Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates neuronal activity through weak electric fields, potentially enhancing cognitive functions, particularly in targeted brain regions.
Target Population
Care Setting

tDCS significantly improves global cognition in patients with AD and MCI (SMD = 0.49).
Preliminary evidence suggests tDCS may benefit visuospatial ability (SMD = -0.75), but further validation is needed.
Limited effects observed for attention (SMD = -0.33) and no significant effect for executive function (SMD = 0.09).
The review included 13 studies with a total of 616 participants, emphasizing the need for larger trials.
tDCS is a non-invasive, safe, and well-tolerated neuromodulation technique, but its efficacy may vary among individuals.

Consider tDCS as an alternative therapy for cognitive enhancement in patients with AD and MCI, particularly those who do not respond to standard treatments.

Individuals diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

tDCS can be applied at home, enhancing accessibility for patients.

Utilize multi-test, domain-specific neuropsychological batteries in future studies.
Assess risk of bias and methodological quality in studies evaluating tDCS.
Recommend long-term follow-up studies to evaluate the sustained effects of tDCS on cognitive function.

Clinical Scorecard: Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Overall Cognitive Abilities, Visuospatial Skills, and Executive Functions in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-Analytic Review