The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Older Lonely Individuals
NCT05937022, Not applicable, Unknown, The University of Hong Kong
Trial 10
As registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, in the graph's capture of the registry.
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Older Lonely Individuals | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| NCT number | NCT05937022 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Status | Unknown | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Phases | Not applicable | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Enrollment | 135 participants, estimated | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Lead sponsor | The University of Hong Kong | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Conditions | Loneliness | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Interventions | Experimental Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| First posted | 2023-07-10 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Last updated | 2023-07-12 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Registered outcomes 17
Each outcome the trial registered, primary first, in ClinicalTrials.gov's words.
| List | Outcome | Time frame | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Changes in emotion and social motivation in response to social and non-social emotional stimuli | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Emotion Rating Task will assess participants' feelings and motivations upon seeing positive, negative, social, and non-social emotional words. Participants will need to rate on a scale regarding his/her emotional feelings and socializing motivation upon perceiving these words. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Primary | Changes in self-reported loneliness levels | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Perceived level of loneliness will be assessed with the brief 6-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. All items are scored on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 4 (often). The total score ranges from 6 to 24. A higher score indicates a higher level of perceived loneliness. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in social motivation | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Participants' information-seeking and emotion-regulatory motivation will be measured with the Social Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ). | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in social anhedonia | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) will assess participants' anhedonia in aspects including hobbies, dood/drink, social activities, and sensory experience. The participants will be instructed to provide at least two of their own examples for each pleasure domain. Participants will then be asked to rate items from 0 to 4 on a scale of not at all, slightly, moderately, mostly, and very much for each domain, with a lower score corresponding to a higher level of anhedonia. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in social participation | From baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Participation Measure--3 Domains, 4 Dimensions (PM-3D4D) will assess participants' social participation. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in perceived social support | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) will assess participants' perceived social support. This scale includes 3 subscales: significant other, family, and friends. The mean score of the total scale can be obtained by summing across all 12 items and then dividing by 12. A higher score on the scale means a higher level of perceived social support. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in social isolation | From baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) will assess participants' social network size. The total score is the sum of the 6 items. Scores range from 0 to 30. A higher score indicates a lower level of social isolation. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in positive and negative affect | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Participants' emotional disposition and mood state will be measured with the Chinese Affect Scale (CAS). Participants will be instructed to rate on a scale from 0 to 4, with a higher score corresponding to a higher level of positive or negative affect. Scores of positive affect range from 0 to 40. Scores of negative affect range from 0 to 40. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in emotion regulation | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) will assess participants' use of nine cognitive emotion regulation strategies. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in coping styles | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE) will assess participants' coping styles. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in approach and avoidance motivation | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Participants' reward responsiveness, drive, fun-seeking, and punishment sensitivity will be assessed with the behavioral inhibition system and behavioral activation system (BIS/BAS) scale. The scale consists of 18 items that are rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, and 4 = strongly agree. Scores are calculated as the sum of respective items. A higher score indicates a higher approach or avoidance motivation. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in levels of depression | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) will assess participants' levels of depression. Scores range from 0 to 30, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depression. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in levels of anxiety | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Geriatric Anxiety Scale - 10 Item Version (GAS-10) will assess participants' anxiety levels. Items 1 through 10 are summed to provide a total score. Each item ranges from 0 to 3. The total score ranges from 0 to 30. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in cognitive control functions | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Cognitive control functions, specifically selective attention, will be assessed with the Chinese version (CST) of the Stroop Color Word Test (Victoria version). | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in processing speed | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | Processing Speed will be assessed with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in working memory | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The Digit Span Backward Test will assess working memory. | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Secondary | Changes in perceived levels of social and emotional loneliness | From baseline to after the 5th tDCS session (1 week); from baseline to after the 10th tDCS session (2 weeks); from baseline to 1 month after the last tDCS session; from baseline to 3 months after the last tDCS session. | The self-reported social and emotional loneliness levels will be measured with the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. On the negatively worded items (1 to 3, emotional loneliness), the neutral and positive answers are scored as "1". On the positively worded items (4 to 6, social loneliness), the neutral and negative answers are scored as "1". Total score ranges from 0 (least lonely) to 6 (most lonely). | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Outcomes 0
Each outcome the trial posted results for, in ClinicalTrials.gov's words.
| Type | Outcome | Time frame | Population | Units | Measured as | Source |
|---|
Results by group 0
Each measurement the trial posted, group by group, in the words and numbers it posted.
| Outcome | Group | Category | Value | Spread | Units | Source |
|---|
Participant flow 0
How many started, completed or left each group, period by period.
| Period | Milestone | Group | Participants | Units counted | Source |
|---|
Adverse events 0
Each adverse event the trial posted, group by group: the participants affected out of those at risk.
| Type | Event | Organ system | Group | Affected | At risk | Events | Source |
|---|
Adverse event totals 0
The totals the trial posted for each group.
| Total | Group | Affected | At risk | Source |
|---|
Papers 0
The papers the trial lists on ClinicalTrials.gov.
| PMID | Listed as | Source |
|---|
Grants 0
The grants NIH RePORTER links to the trial, newest funded first: NIH's, and some of AHRQ's, CDC's, FDA's and VA's. Each shows its title, principal investigators, organization and funder in its newest year.
| Project | Title | Principal investigators | Organization | Funder | Fiscal years | Source |
|---|
Trial comparisons 0
Comparisons of the trial's two groups, calculated by ConductScience from the counts it posted.
| Comparison | Source |
|---|
Tests 3
The ConductCognition tests this trial's registered outcomes name, as ScienceGraph matched them in trial-tests-2026-11-12-0.2.1.
| Test | Named as | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Digit Span Test | Secondary outcome | ConductCognition |
| Stroop Color-Word Test | Secondary outcome | ConductCognition |
| Symbol Coding | Secondary outcome | ConductCognition |
Source 5
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Release | trials-2026-11-12-0.4.0 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Release manifest SHA-256 | 0f4a8d8c48aee2a7573ae0fa94ecbeab70c1adbe449bbc95c424bc7d3e97b9d4 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Registry capture | 2026-11-12 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Results copy, AACT | 2026-03-23 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| NIH clinical studies file | 2026-11-13 | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Release trials-2026-11-12-0.4.0
ClinicalTrials.gov's posted results, through CTTI's AACT: ClinicalTrials.gov data via Aggregate Analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov (AACT), CTTI. CTTI makes its materials freely available and requests acknowledgement. https://aact.ctti-clinicaltrials.org/documentation/299 ClinicalTrials.gov's data carry an international copyright outside the United States: https://clinicaltrials.gov/about-site/terms-conditions.
ClinicalTrials.gov: none stated ClinicalTrials.gov's data carry an international copyright outside the United States: https://clinicaltrials.gov/about-site/terms-conditions.
NIH RePORTER's clinical studies and project files: Public domain (NIH RePORTER)