Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cognition in MCI with Alzheimer's disease risk factors using Bayesian analysis

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in precision medicine-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD), little research has been conducted on how individual AD risk factors influence changes in cognitive function following transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This study evaluates the cognitive effects of sequential tDCS on 63 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, considering AD risk factors such as amyloid-beta deposition, APOE ε4, BDNF polymorphism, and sex. Using both frequentist and Bayesian methods, we assessed the interaction of tDCS with these risk factors on cognitive performance. Notably, we found that amyloid-beta deposition significantly interacted with tDCS in improving executive function, specifically Stroop Word-Color scores, with strong Bayesian support for this finding. Memory enhancements were differentially influenced by BDNF Met carrier status. However, sex and APOE ε4 status did not show significant effects. Our results highlight the importance of individual AD risk factors in modulating cognitive outcomes from tDCS, suggesting that precision medicine may offer more effective tDCS treatments tailored to individual risk profiles in early AD stages.