Warmth and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Improving Cognitive Functions in People with Dementia
Trial Parameters
Brief Summary
Evidence showed that both TENS and passive body heating are potential treatment strategies for improving cognitive functions in people with dementia. It is hypothesized that hat device (Warmth +TENS) over the 4 acupuncture points would induce a greater improvement in cognitive functions and behavioural symptoms when compared with other hat devices (Warmth + placebo-TENS; TENS only; Warmth alone) and Control (hat device with no warmth and no TENS).
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. are currently diagnosed having Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or mixed-type mild to major neurocognitive disorder based on the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM -5) by psychogeriatrician with more than 3 years of experience in dementia diagnosis; 2. are categorized in the mild or moderate degree of dementia based on the Global Deterioration Scale; 3. have a stable drug intake for the past 3 months; 4. live with at least 1 caregiver in the community; 5. are able to follow simple instructions; 6. are able to give informed consent by them or their family members. Exclusion Criteria: 1. have unstable medical conditions or severe behavioural disturbances, which do not allow participation in the study as judged by the study psychogeriatrician, 2. have any additional medical, cardiovascular , orthopedic or cognitive conditions, such as having uncontrolled hypertension unstable angina and comorbid schizophrenia, that