Direct Current (DC) brain polarization can alter the activity of cortical neurons and the excitability of the human cortex . We recently reported that surface-anodal DC current applied to the left prefrontal area enhances verbal fluency in healthy subjects (Iyer et al., 2005). Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) comprises a set of disorders affecting the frontal and/or the anterior temporal lobes of the brain that present with behavioral and cognitive symptoms (Lund/Manchester, 1994), including impaired verbal fluency (the ability to generate words within a specific category) (Perri et al., 2005), which depends substantially on prefrontal cortex function (Stuss et al., 1998). To date, no effective treatment for the cognitive deficits in FTD has been found (Huey et al., 2006). Using letter-cued verbal fluency as the primary therapeutic outcome, we undertook a double-blinded, controlled trial of DC polarization in FTD.The 10 patients were clinically diagnosed with FTD by published criteria (Lund/Manchester, 1994). Nine had predominantly behavioral, and one language, symptoms. At initial evaluation, the patients had a mean age of 61.3 years (range 46 to 80 years), a mean duration of illness of 3.4 years (range 1.2 to 6 years), and a mean total Mattis Dementia Rating Scale 2 of 109.3 points (range 45 to 131). The patients were taking the following CNS-active medications: Cholinesterase-inhibitors (6 patients), memantine (5 patients), antidepressants (2 patients), atypical antipsychotic medications (2 patients), benzodiazepines (1 patient). We applied 2 mA current through 25 cm 2 electrodes (80 μC/cm 2 ) for 40 min in the patients. As in our pilot study in healthy subjects (Iyer et al., 2005), the anode was placed at the F3 International 10-20 electrode position and the cathode over the right supraorbital area. The current was delivered by a Phoresor ® II Auto Model PM850 iontophoresis device. In a double-blind, sham-controlled design each patient received separate sessions of active and sham treatment in a randomized and counterbalanced order. In the active condition, the current (2 mA) was delivered for 20 min before and 20 min after the start of testing (40 min). In the sham condition, the device