Investigating a Novel Brain Stimulation Treatment for Mild Alzheimer's Disease

Transcranial Alternating Current (tACS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that delivers a weak electrical current that alternates at a specified frequency back and forth between electrodes. The tACS device in this trial consists of a purpose-built handheld battery driven unit that delivers a current controlled voltage across an active and reference electrode. The active and reference electrodes are placed within commercially supplied saline soaked sponges, held in place using a custom designed headset such that the active electrode will be positioned over the left DLPFC and the reference electrode will be positioned over the right supraorbital space. Configuration of the headset to ensure correct electrode placement will be conducted by researchers at the beginning of the participant’s first tACS session. Electrode placement on the headset will then be clearly marked to ensure accurate and replicable positioning for future sessions. tACS treatment course: The tACS treatment course is a 4 week program where participants will undergo 20 sessions (daily weekday sessions Mon-Fri for four weeks) of 40 Hz gamma tACS stimulation applied at 0.057mA/cm2 peak to peak for 20 minutes per session. First, participants will attend the research centre with their nominated caregiver/support person for their baseline assessment, tACS training and their first stimulation session. This will allow researchers to observe and confirm correct self-administration of tACS. Following this, for the remainder of the treatment course participants will self-administer tACS in their own homes with remote monitoring by researchers (this will include videoconferencing where required, to be determined on a case by case basis by the PI) and assistance from their nominated caregiver/support person if required. Researchers will contact participants by phone at the end of their stimulation session each day to confirm adherence (this will also be checked via the stimulator software at the end of the treatment course) and to discuss any adverse events. If at any time participants required additional instruction for the self-administration of tACS, researchers will arrange for them to come back into the research centre for additional training and treatment observation until the researchers are satisfied they are able to self-administer (determined via the use of a published training checklist).