Efficacy of TDCS for Treating Working Memory Dysfunction and Depression in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Epilepsy
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Epilepsy focused on measuring Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, TDCS, Memory Dysfunction, Depression
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- age between 18-70 years
- diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy, with seizure focus defined by seizure semiology, EEG, MRI Brain, PET and/or ictal and interictal SPECT.
- Must have a stable seizure frequency in the two (2) months prior to enrollment, as verified by the patient's seizure log and/or clinic notes and without recent antiepileptic medication changes.
- Must score above 22/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
- Must be able to provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patient has a progressive or unstable neurological or systemic disease
- Patient has an ictal focus over the F3 or F4 (DLPFC) field
- Patient has a history of severe depression, as determined by a screen inventory test such as the Beck Depression Inventory or a psychiatrist
- Patient has a history of severe traumatic brain injury or prior brain surgery with skull defect
- Contraindictations to tDCS, including metal in the head or implanted brain medical devices
- Pregnancy
- Any implanted electrical medical device, including pacers and implanted cardiac defibrillators
- History of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, other psychosis, rapid-cycling bipolar illness, alcohol/drug abuse within the past year
- History of dementia
Sites / Locations
- Neurology
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Sham Comparator
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Sham TDCS
Subjects will receive a total of 5 sessions on consecutive days. During each session, 2 mA of tDCS will be applied for 20 minutes over the left DLPFC (active or sham). The electrodes will have the size of 35cm2 each. Direct current will be transferred by a saline-soaked pair of surface sponge electrodes and delivered b y a specially developed, battery driven, constant current stimulator with a maximum output of 2mA.
For sham-controlled tDCS subjects, the same montage will be used; however current will be applied for only 30 seconds - this is a reliable method of sham stimulation as sensations arising from tDCS treatment occur only at the beginning of application as also demonstrated by a randomized study (Gandiga et al. 2006).