Effects of cranial electrical stimulation on sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and caregiving appraisal in spousal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of cranial electrical stimulation (CES) on sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and caregiving appraisal.


METHODS
Thirty-eight participants were randomly assigned to receive active CES or sham CES for 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Both intervention groups demonstrated improvement in study measures from baseline scores. A trend toward statistically significant differences in daily sleep disturbances was found between the groups. No differences in depressive symptoms and caregiving appraisal were found between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings did not fully support the efficacy of the short-term use of active CES versus sham CES to improve sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, or caregiving appraisal.
School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782, USA. kmr5q@virginia.edu
Karen M
KM
Rose
Ann Gill
AG
Taylor
Cheryl
C
Bourguignon
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012886:Skull; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D018454:Spouses; D016896:Treatment Outcome