NCT01346306

Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Investigating Direct Current Stimulation as a Treatment for Depression: A Controlled Clinical Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of New South Wales · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Among antidepressant treatments, ECT stands as the most effective in treating acute depression. However, patient concerns with the cognitive side effects of ECT have encouraged the development of new and more focal forms of brain stimulation such as transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). However, not all patients may respond to this treatment in the way that it is currently administered and this has raised interest in finding alternative, possibly more optimal ways of administering tDCS. This study will investigate whether tDCS stimulation using an alternative electrode montage has antidepressant effects. Further sessions of tDCS, spaced less frequently, will be trialed for maintenance treatment. Mood, cognitive test performance and biomarkers will be measured periodically in the duration of the trial.

Conditions

• Major Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Eldith Company - direct current stimulator	Direct current stimulation montage 1.
DEVICE	Eldith Company - direct current stimulator	Direct current stimulation montage 2.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-04-01
• Primary completion: 2019-12-23
• Completion: 2019-12-23
• First posted: 2011-05-02
• Last updated: 2023-03-30

Locations

2 sites across 2 countries: Australia, Singapore