A new study by renowned institutions confirms that at-home tDCS can significantly alleviate depression symptoms, providing a feasible and accessible treatment option for millions worldwide.
A device offering noninvasive brain stimulation has the potential to revolutionize how depression is treated at home, according to recent research conducted by UTHealth Houston, King’s College London and the University of East London. The study, published in Nature Medicine, showcases the safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a home-based therapy for individuals with moderate to severe depression.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) involves applying a mild, direct current of 0.5 to 2 milliampere to the scalp via electrodes. This treatment, already familiar in clinics for managing conditions like psychosis and eating disorders, was assessed for the first time in a home setting where patients could self-administer the therapy.
Leading the international study was King’s College London, with key contributions from Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, a professor in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
“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,” Machado-Vieira said in a news release.
The clinical trial included 174 adults diagnosed with moderate to severe depression.
The participants were divided into two groups: one received active tDCS treatments while the other was given a placebo device. The treatment regimen spanned 10 weeks, starting with five 30-minute sessions per week for the initial three weeks, and then three sessions per week for the remaining seven weeks.
The results demonstrated that those undergoing active tDCS treatment exhibited marked improvements in their depression severity. The response and remission rates were significantly higher in the active treatment group — 44.9% compared to 21.8% in the placebo group.
“The burden of depression is mostly keenly felt by the 280 million people worldwide currently managing symptoms. While a combination of antidepressants and therapy generally proves to be effective for many people, medication can have side effects that some can find disruptive. Our study has demonstrated that tDCS is a potential first-line option that could help those in need,” senior author Cynthia Fu, a professor of affective neuroscience and psychotherapy at King’s College London, said in the news release.
First author Rachel Woodham, a research assistant at the University of East London, emphasized the importance of alternative treatments.
“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,” she added..
The culmination of this study involved eight years of dedicated effort.
“The study results bring promise that an innovative treatment modality may become available for patients suffering from mood disorders some time in the near future,” added co-author Jair Soares, a professor and the Pat R. Rutherford, Jr. Chair in Psychiatry in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School.
This research underscores an exciting leap forward in treating depression, paving the way for accessible and effective home-based therapy options that could benefit millions dealing with the condition.