Home-based brain stimulation to help cognition and movement in older adults at risk for dementia
Official title: Long-term home-based transcranial electrical stimulation for cognitive and motor function in older adults with an increased risk of dementia: a randomized controlled trial
Funded at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged · NIH-11551472 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-based brain stimulation treatment is being tested to help memory, thinking, and walking in older adults who are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $341,808 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG081349-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11551472 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with motoric cognitive risk who are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and who can participate in home-based testing.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience noticeable benefits and may continue to follow standard aging timelines.
What this research studies
This trial tests whether repeating sessions of gentle electrical stimulation on the scalp, done safely at home, can improve people’s ability to walk and think at the same time over several months. Participants will start with a short open-label phase, then be randomly assigned to receive real stimulation or sham treatment for many weeks, with researchers and participants blinded to the assignment. The stimulation will be tailored to the left front part of the brain involved in executive function, and home-based testing via a smartphone app will monitor progress. The study aims to see if longer-term, home-delivered stimulation can slow or alter the trajectory toward dementia in older adults with motoric cognitive risk features.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help preserve daily functioning and reduce dementia risk for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary home-based tDCS work shows improvements in dual-tasking and executive function, but longer-term benefits are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manor, Bradley D. — Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged
- Study coordinator: Manor, Bradley D.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.