A device that delivers direct stimulation to the brain was found to be a safe and effective means of treating depression at home, according to a new study.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a form of noninvasive brain stimulation that applies a weak, direct current of between 0.5 to 2 milliampere to the scalp via two electrodes. It is already commonly used in clinics to treat conditions such as psychosis and eating disorders. The clinical trial assessed tDCS that was used in a home setting and self-administered by patients.
The study included 174 adult participants with a diagnosis of severe to moderate depression. They were randomly assigned to one of two treatment arms: active tDCS or inactive tDCS, which used the same device but did not provide a current.
Participants had a 10-week course of treatment, with five 30-minute sessions a week for the first three weeks, followed by three 30-minute sessions a week for the following seven weeks.
Researchers found that participants in the active arm of the trial showed significant improvements in the severity of their depression, as well as an overall clinical response and remission, compared to those in the inactive placebo control arm.
The rates of treatment response and remission were three times higher in the active treatment arm compared to the placebo arm, with 44.9 per cent in the active arm demonstrating a remission rate compared to 21.8 per cent of the control group.
Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, co-author of the Kings College London-led study, said: “The results from this study, which tested home-based tDCS, may represent an important advance in the mood disorders field for improving feasibility and therapeutic response with this new neuromodulation modality.”
“These latest results confirmed a positive profile for safety and efficacy similar to early studies with patients with depression and bipolar disorder, and the home-based therapy may facilitate access of this treatment to a larger number of patients.”
Fellow researcher and first author Rachel Woodham cautioned: “There is no such thing as the perfect medical intervention. Medication can have unintended side effects, while therapy is both time- and resource-intensive. Our hope is that tDCS can provide a viable third alternative for people with moderate to severe depression to help them better manage their symptoms.”
