Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to successfully lower depression and anxiety symptoms in older grownups, especially those with moderate to extreme signs, according to a University of Florida study. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA University of Florida study suggests that transcranial direct existing stimulation (tDCS) successfully alleviates depression and stress and anxiety in older adults, providing a noninvasive, drug-free treatment alternative.A noninvasive brain stimulation treatment enhanced anxiety and anxiety signs among older grownups in a new University of Florida-led study.Improvements in depression and stress and anxiety signs were greatest amongst patients who reported greater symptom levels before treatment. Amongst individuals who experienced moderate to extreme state anxiety– or stress and anxiety associated with difficult scenarios or events– the treatment advantages continued at an one-year follow-up. The findings, released in the journal Brain Stimulation, suggest the treatment, called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, holds promise as a noninvasive, drug-free option to deal with depression and stress and anxiety symptoms, which affect 1 in 4 older adults.” Depression and stress and anxiety can impact our overall mental health, cognitive function and capability to function separately as we age,” stated the research studys senior author Adam Woods, Ph.D., the associate dean for research study and a teacher of clinical and health psychology at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and co-director of UFs Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory Clinical Translational Research. “Often, front-line treatments include medication and/or treatment, which can both be efficient. However, there is likewise a pressing requirement for noninvasive and available choices that can be deployed in individuals who are either nonresponsive to pharmaceutical treatment, unable to access or take part in clinic-based intensive treatment programs, or for a range of other factors.” Treatment advantages in the UF-led study were seen amongst individuals with subclinical depression and anxiety, implying their signs might not fulfill the requirements for medical diagnosis. Even subclinical depression and anxiety can be associated with cognitive decline in older adults, the researchers state. The tDCS treatment is provided by a safe and weak electrical present passed through electrodes positioned on a persons head. Scientist targeted the prefrontal cortex, a location of the brain related to cognition and feeling regulation.The brand-new study was conducted as part of the National Institute on Aging-funded Augmenting Clinical Training in Older Adults Study, the biggest research study of its kind with older grownups taking part at UF and University of Arizona study sites. Nearly 400 older grownups were randomly appointed to one of 2 groups: 12 weeks of tDCS matched with cognitive training created to enhance working memory and processing speed, or 12 weeks of cognitive training coupled with a placebo variation of tDCS.Investigators also gathered a wealth of information from cognitive, practical, and neuroimaging tests along with self-report measures of mental signs, including depression and anxiety.After controlling for aspects such as prescription drugs that might impact depression and anxiety symptoms, the research study team discovered that individuals who received the tDCS treatment had considerable enhancements in mild depression and moderate to severe state stress and anxiety, compared with the group that did not receive tDCS.” Extensive research study has actually shown the efficacy of active stimulation to this area of the brain in minimizing psychological signs in individuals with diagnosed psychiatric disorders,” said Hanna Hausman, the studys lead author and a UF PHHP clinical psychology Ph.D. trainee in neuropsychology. “It was an unexpected yet welcome surprise to witness similar results in our sample of older adults without significant psychiatric histories, specifically on a large scale. Since even subclinical depression and stress and anxiety signs in older grownups are associated with negative results, demonstrating this restorative result is crucial.” Next actions for this research must include a stage 3 randomized clinical trial created to evaluate the effect of tDCS and cognitive training on stress and anxiety among a diverse and large group of older grownups, the investigators state. The Korea Food and Drug Administration has approved tDCS as an at-home treatment for anxiety for adults in South Korea, and with additional study, it could become a easy-to-use and accessible treatment in the U.S. as soon as adequate evidence is offered for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.” tDCS treatment is cost-effective, portable, and can be flawlessly incorporated with existing mental health treatments or used as a standalone intervention,” Hausman stated. “Its potential for at-home self-administration would further expand availability and minimize workers costs, making it a promising intervention for individuals who may experience barriers accessing face-to-face scientific care.” Reference: “DCS lowers depression and state anxiety symptoms in older grownups from the enhancing cognitive training in older adults research study (ACT)” by Hanna K. Hausman, Gene E. Alexander, Ronald Cohen, Michael Marsiske, Steven T. DeKosky, Georg A. Hishaw, Andrew OShea, Jessica N. Kraft, Yunfeng Dai, Samuel Wu and Adam J. Woods, 2 March 2024, Brain Stimulation.DOI: 10.1016/ j.brs.2024.02.021.
Credit: SciTechDaily.comA University of Florida research study indicates that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) successfully eases depression and anxiety in older grownups, providing a noninvasive, drug-free treatment alternative.A noninvasive brain stimulation treatment improved depression and stress and anxiety symptoms among older grownups in a brand-new University of Florida-led study.Improvements in anxiety and anxiety signs were biggest among clients who reported greater sign levels before treatment. Amongst participants who experienced moderate to extreme state anxiety– or anxiety associated with difficult scenarios or events– the treatment advantages continued at a 1 year follow-up. Almost 400 older adults were arbitrarily assigned to one of two groups: 12 weeks of tDCS combined with cognitive training created to enhance working memory and processing speed, or 12 weeks of cognitive training matched with a placebo version of tDCS.Investigators likewise gathered a wealth of information from cognitive, practical, and neuroimaging tests as well as self-report procedures of psychological signs, consisting of depression and anxiety.After managing for aspects such as prescription drugs that might impact anxiety and anxiety symptoms, the study team discovered that participants who got the tDCS treatment had significant improvements in moderate depression and moderate to serious state anxiety, compared with the group that did not receive tDCS.
