Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Cognition in Patients Treated for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46979/rbn.v61i2.66973

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the cognition of patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) who underwent cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery. Five participants, aged between 60 and 80 years, were assessed using neuropsychological instruments at three time points: before, three days after, and thirty days after the tDCS intervention. The results demonstrated significant cognitive improvements in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE), both of which assess global cognitive functions. In contrast, instruments targeting specific neuropsychological domains, such as the Stroop Test and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), did not show statistically significant differences. The discrepancy in the results highlights the sensitivity of broad cognitive assessments in detecting generalized cognitive changes promoted by the intervention. These findings suggest that tDCS is a promising approach for cognitive rehabilitation in patients with NPH, while emphasizing the need for future studies with larger sample sizes.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Camila Santos Cechi, Hospital das Clínicas

She holds a specialization in Hospital Psychology - Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessment from the Institute of Psychiatry and a master’s degree in Neurology, both from the Hospital das Clínicas - Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (USP). Currently, she works as a Neuropsychologist (assessment and rehabilitation) at the Neurosurgery Clinic of Prof. Dr. Fernando Gomes Pinto. She is the coordinator of the Specialization Course in Neuropsychology with Training in Cognitive Rehabilitation at the Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP. She serves as the Director of the Neuropsychology Clinic and School and coordinates the Specialization in Neurosciences at the same institution. Additionally, she coordinates the Neuropsychology team in the Cerebral Hydrodynamics Groups at the Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, and the Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual. For eleven years, she worked as a Neuropsychologist at the São Paulo Neurological Institute of the Beneficência Portuguesa Hospital, where she established and coordinated the Specialization Courses in Neuropsychology, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and the Advanced Cognitive Rehabilitation Training. She is a former board member of the Brazilian Society of Neuropsychology.

Cristiano Pedroso, USP

Psicólogo , pedagogo, músico , pós-graduado em neuropsicologia (reconhecido como especialista pelo CRP), pós-graduado em psicomotricidade (reconhecido como especialista pelo CRP), neuropsicopedagogo, mestre em distúrbios do desenvolvimento, MBA em gestão de saúde, mestre e doutor em neurociências e comportamento pela USP. Pos-doutorando do programa de psicologia experimental USP. Possui cursos de especialização por universidades nacionais e internacionais. Atualmente é professor universitário, com aulas ministradas em 16 estados do Brasil, em mais de 40 cidades. Possui mais de 20 anos de experiência no campo dos distúrbios do desenvolvimento.

Fernando Campos Gomes Pinto, Hospital das Clínicas

Graduated in Medicine from the University of São Paulo - FMUSP (1997). Residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School - HC FMUSP (1998-2003). Specialist in Neurosurgery certified by the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery (2002). Postgraduate studies in Pediatric Neurosurgery through the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (2004-2006). Ph.D. in Experimental Neurotraumatology from FMUSP (2007). Head of the Cerebral Hydrodynamics Unit in the Functional Neurosurgery Division at HC FMUSP since 2007. Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery Discipline at FMUSP (2013). Collaborating Professor at the University of São Paulo Medical School (2024). Founder and General Coordinator of the Geriatric Neurosurgery League at the University of São Paulo Medical School (2024). Member of the Board of Directors of the Hydrocephalus Society.

Downloads

Published

2025-07-21

Issue

Vol. 61 No. 2 (2025): Revista Brasileira de Neurologia

Section

Artigos

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Camila Santos Cechi, Cristiano Pedroso, Fernando Campos Gomes Pinto

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.