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A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at home-based gamma transcranial alternative current stimulation for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Dr Sheona Scales, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Alzheimer’s remains one of the greatest health challenges of our time, with limited treatment options available to slow down the disease. When we think of treating Alzheimer’s disease, we mostly consider drug-based interventions, but this research is also exploring brain stimulation which doesn’t require invasive procedures, offering a promising treatment avenue.
“The evidence from this study suggests that a specific type of electrical stimulation delivered through a cap, may improve symptoms of memory loss in a small group of people with early Alzheimer’s. It’s important to remember that memory and thinking tests were carried out only a few weeks after the treatment, and this means we still don’t know whether the modest benefits seen so far will last or will change how symptoms progress over time.
“Longer-term studies are essential to understand the true impact of this technology in a larger, more diverse group of people. Until then, more research is needed before we can draw firm conclusions.
“While the anti-amyloid treatments for Alzheimer’s have shown success in slowing symptoms, we will need a range of treatment approaches to be able to treat all people, in all settings and at all stages of the disease. Therefore, it’s encouraging to see research into other ways to treat Alzheimer’s and with the potential to be given safely in a person’s own home.”
Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer and right now around one million people are living with the condition. We don’t have all the answers, but we do know it’s going to take more than one single approach to beat dementia.
“Alzheimer’s disease causes signals in the brain to be disrupted, which contributes to symptoms like memory loss and confusion. Previous research has looked at whether these brain signals can be restored through light, sound or, in this case, low-intensity electrical currents through electrodes on the scalp. This study has taken this idea out of the lab and into a home-based treatment, which was safe and showed some improvements in thinking and memory in a real world setting.
“But this was a small study so more research is needed, not least to establish whether the improvements continue long-term. We’re looking forward to seeing further findings.
“Research will beat dementia but we need to make it a reality sooner – through more funding, more partnership working, and more people taking part in dementia research.”
‘Home-Based Gamma Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease – A Randomized Clinical Trial’ by first author et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Monday 8th December.
DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.46556
Declared interests
No reply to our request for DOIs was received.