CogT BEEM Study (a tDCS Study)

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Forty subjects with MCI and comorbid NPS, which have worsened in the past 2 years (as
rated by their study-partner's responses to the NPI-Q):

   1. In the past month, presence of > 2 symptoms; and

   2. Compared to two years ago, having > 1 pre-exist symptom whose severity rating has
   worsened, or having > 1 new symptom; 2. Consensus diagnosis of "mild cognitive
   impairment due to Alzheimer's disease" based on 2011 NIA-AA diagnostic criteria by the
   investigators based on screening information: i. Memory deficits at screening: 1
   standard deviation (SD) below age- and/or education- corrected population norms for
   the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT, Lists C&D); ii. Global memory deficits
   at screening: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, Version 2) total score within the
   range 18 ≤ x ≤ 26, after educational adjustment; iii. Preserved activity of daily
   living: ADL-PI-self total score ≤ 30; iv. Absence of dementia. 3. Stable (same dosage,
   frequency, type) on memory medications for ≥ 3 months before screening; 4. Stable
   (same dosage, frequency, type) on any anti-depressants, antipsychotics, and/or
   anxiolytics for ≥ 7 days; 5. Community-dwelling: Subjects live in homes or
   independent- and assisted- living facilities (i.e. - not nursing home residents, due
   to the large cognitive variability in nursing home residents); 6. Aged 60-89 years at
   screening; 7. English-speaking; 8. Adequate visual and hearing acuity for testing; 9.
   Verified tDCS and MRI safety: Subject should not have any contraindications to either
   and pass safety screening questions for both (see exclusion section for more
   information); 10. Capacity to consent, based on responses and ratings to the UCSD
   Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC) form modified for this study 11.
   Availability of a study partner who spends at least several hours per week with the
   subject, supervises his/her care, and who is willing to accompany the subject to some
   study visits and participate in the study; 12. Informed consent for study
   participation obtained by both the subject and his/her study partner; 13. Agree to
   donate 20mL of blood at baseline, after fasting for at least 8 hours (only water and
   prescribed medicines)

Exclusion Criteria:

   - Participants may be excluded from enrollment, or have their enrollment deferred until
   they are eligible, for the reasons listed below. Final decisions regarding enrollment
   will be determined by the PI on a case-by-case basis.

      1. Presence of any neurological or vascular disorders (e.g. - Multiple Sclerosis
      [MS], Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI], chronic heart failure [CHF], Parkinson's
      disease [PD]);

      2. Clinical diagnosis of dementia as defined by the most recent version of the DSM;

      3. Current enrollment in another study aimed at improving cognitive abilities and/or
      emotional well-being;

      4. MRI contraindications (e.g. - pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator
      [ICD], aneurysm clips, severe claustrophobia);

      5. tDCS contraindications (e.g. - scalp or skin condition, history of migraines,
      seizures or epilepsy, and/or strokes, TBI), metallic implants, history of adverse
      effects to previous tDCS or other brain stimulation techniques).