HOME-BASED gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation has shown to improve cognition and daily functioning in people with early Alzheimer disease. Researchers report that the approach was safe, well tolerated, and clinically effective.
Why Gamma Stimulation Matters in Alzheimer Disease
Alzheimer disease is increasingly understood as a disorder of disrupted brain network activity, particularly involving gamma frequency oscillations. These rhythms are linked to memory, attention, and cholinergic neurotransmission, all of which are impaired early in the disease course. Gamma stimulation using transcranial alternating current stimulation has emerged as a noninvasive method to restore these oscillations. Until now, most studies have focused on supervised or laboratory-based settings, leaving uncertainty around feasibility and effectiveness when applied in patients’ homes.
Home Gamma Stimulation in a Randomized Trial
The double blind randomized clinical trial was conducted at a tertiary Alzheimer research clinic in Italy between December 2022 and October 2024. Sixty patients were screened, with 50 individuals with prodromal or mild Alzheimer disease randomized to gamma stimulation or sham treatment. Participants had a mean age of 67.3 years, and the cohort included 25 women and 25 men. During the blinded phase, patients received home based gamma stimulation five sessions per week, 60 minutes each, for eight weeks, followed by an open label phase and follow-up.
Significant benefits were observed in multiple outcomes. Marginal mean differences between sham and gamma stimulation were significant for the Clinical Dementia Rating sum of boxes at 0.35, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale at 0.93, Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living at -0.55, and Face Name Association Test at -1.14, all with statistically significant P values. Neurophysiological measures showed increased gamma power and enhanced cholinergic transmission, effects not seen with sham stimulation. No changes were detected in plasma biomarkers, and no added benefit was observed beyond eight weeks of treatment.
These findings suggest gamma stimulation could become a practical adjunctive therapy for early Alzheimer disease, particularly given its home-based delivery and favourable safety profile. Clinicians may eventually incorporate this approach alongside pharmacological care, while future studies refine treatment duration, patient selection, and long-term impact.
Reference
Cantoni V et al. Home-based gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation in patients with Alzheimer disease: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(12):e2546556.
