United States: In a recent breakthrough study, researchers investigated the effectiveness, acceptability, and safety of fully remote, home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment application to patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) in a 10-week randomized, sham-controlled trial.
About major depressive disorder
MDD is a prevalent condition that mostly leads to disability and suicide. It is attributed to the low mood that tends to linger and other alterations in mood, sleep, appetite, energy, and cognition.
However, with antidepressant medications and psychotherapy, many patients never have complete remission of symptoms in MDD.
There has been emerging evidence that the noninvasive brain stimulation method known as tDCS can enhance neural circuits associated with MDD.
Nevertheless, its long-term outcomes should be investigated to demonstrate the advantages of the technique over other treatment methods, as well as its applicability to home-based applications for MDD.
About the study
The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled with consultation for a randomized, multisite trial to assess at-home tDCS intervention in MDD over a period of 10 weeks with an open-label extension trial of 10 weeks.
The adults from the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) only were included after they had given informed consent.
Ethical approval for the current study was provided by the appropriate research ethics committees, news-medical.net reported.
This study included adults who had been clinically diagnosed with MDD and who had moderate or higher levels of depressive symptoms based on clinician-administered interviews.
The trial specifically excluded patients with treatment-refractory depression, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts within the prior year, and other concurrent psychiatric disorders.
What conclusions were made?
In short, a fundamental positive outcome of this RCT in applying home-based tDCS for MDD was identified. Active tDCS during 10 weeks provided a better reduction in depressive symptoms, clinical response, and remission rates than sham stimulation.
Clinician-rated (HDRS and MADRS) and self-report (MADRS-s) measures showed these benefits, news-medical.net reported.
The active treatment arm had response and remission rates two to three times better than that of the sham group. Therefore, the trial showed the benefit for the first episode, recurrent or treatment-resistant MDD, meaning home-based tDCS holds promises for the future treatment of MDD.