Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Improve Unsteady Gait in Older Adults (StimGait)
Fall, Gait, Unsteady, Mobility Limitation
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Fall focused on measuring transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), Falls, Gait Variability, Sustained Attention, Dorsal Attention Network, Default Network
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Aged 65 and above. Ability to speak and read English. Ability to walk independently and continuously for at least 1 minute. Elevated gait variability as defined by a coefficient of variation (CoV) about average stride time larger and equal to 0.025 during straight-line walking at preferred speed. Exclusion Criteria: More than mild cognitive impairment defined by a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score less than 18. Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, active brain tumor, or other neurological disorders. Self-reported pain or lower extremity deformity that significantly disrupts walking. Contraindications to MRI or tDCS. An episode of acute illness or exacerbation of a diagnosis that requires hospitalization or active treatment within the past 3 months. Current treatment for congestive heart failure, angina, uncontrolled arrythmia, deep vein thrombosis, or other uncontrolled cardiovascular events. Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, angioplasty, or other cardiac conditions within the past 3 months, Active cancer for which chemo/radiation therapy is being received. Psychiatric co-morbidity including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, or other psychiatric illness. Recent use of any sedating medications (sedatives, anti-psychotics, hypnotics, anti-depressants) or change in medication within the previous month. Chronic vertigo or other diagnosed vestibular disorders. Legal blindness, visual impairments that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery. Those without WiFi access Those who do not plan to live in their current homes for the duration of the study
Sites / Locations
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Sham Comparator
tDCS intervention
Sham and then tDCS
Ten, once-daily, 20-min sessions of tDCS will be provided over two consecutive weeks.
Five, once-daily, 20-min sessions of sham in week one followed by five, once-daily, 20-min sessions of tDCS in week two.