Effect of Home-based Self-administered Transcranial Direct Stimulation in Patients with Mild to Moderate Major Depressive Disorder: A Single-arm, Multicentral Trial.

Abstract

Objective:

Although the effects and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment in depressive patients are largely investigated, whether the self-administration of tDCS treatment at patient's home is comparable to clinic-based treatment is still unknown.

Methods:

In this single-arm, multi-center clinical trial, 61 patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder were enrolled. tDCS treatment was delivered at the patient's home once a day, 5 to 7 times a week for 6 weeks, and each session lasted for 30 minutes. The primary outcome was a total Beck-Depression Inventory-II score, and no concurrent antidepressants were used.

Results:

The remission rates in both Full-Analysis (FA) (n = 61) and Per-Protocol (PP) (n = 43) groups were statistically significant (FA: 57.4% [0.44-0.70], PP: 62.8% [0.47-0.77]; percent [95% confidence interval]). The degree of depression- related symptoms was also significantly improved in 2, 4, and 6 weeks after the treatment when compared with baseline. There was no significant association between treatment compliance and remission rate in both FA and PP groups.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that acute treatment of patient-administered tDCS might be effective in improving the subjective feeling of depressive symptoms in mild to moderate major depressive disorder patients.

• Authors: Jihoon Oh, Sekye Jeon, Tae Hyon Ha, Woojae Myung, Seung-Hwan Lee, Young-Hoon Ko, Do Hoon Kim, Hwa-Young Lee, Jeong-Ho Chae
• Journal: Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology (Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci) Vol. 21 Issue 2 Pg. 271-278 (May 30 2023) ISSN: 1738-1088 [Print] Korea (South)
• PMID: 37119219 (Publication Type: Journal Article)