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Can zapping the brain while stepping help prevent falls in dementia?

NCT ID NCT07841145

Symptom relief Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 25, 2026

Summary

Researchers are testing whether combining a wearable brain stimulation device with step training can improve balance, reaction time, and thinking in older adults with mild dementia. Participants join a structured stepping program that adds mental challenges like arithmetic and memory tasks, while some receive active brain stimulation and others receive a sham version. The trial measures changes in stepping speed, executive function, and brain activity during movement, with follow-up three months later. A qualitative part asks participants, caregivers, and staff about how practical and acceptable the program is.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation combined with step training
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to help older adults with mild dementia stay steady on their feet and think more clearly during movement. It could also shape community fall-prevention programs.
What could go wrong
The trial is small, with 68 participants, and the brain stimulation is non-invasive and low-risk but may not produce lasting benefits. Any gains might fade after the training stops, and results may not apply to people with more severe dementia or other health conditions.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 68 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

65 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Interested persons will be included if they are (1) aged 65 years or older; (2) able to walk 10 m without assistance; (3) can communicate in Chinese; and (4) clinically diagnosed with dementia, with mild-stage severity evidenced by a total score of 10 to 18 (inclusive) on the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA) \[21\]. Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals will be excluded if they, or their caregivers, report: (1) severe cardiopulmonary diseases, severe musculoskeletal disorders, or severe visual or hearing impairments; (2) any neurological conditions other than dementia; (3) contraindications to tDCS, including metallic head implants (excluding dental fillings), cardiac pacemakers, skull defects, a history of unprovoked seizures, or skin/scalp lesions at electrode sites; or (4) concurrent or recent physical therapy or non-invasive brain stimulation within the past 3 months.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

dementia Motor Activity

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Dementia Fall prevention Neuromodulation Physical exercise TDCS

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    Hong Kong, None Selected, Hong Kong

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