NCT04096625

Enhancement of a Psychotherapeutic Intervention Through Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), is a neuromodulatory technique, that is safe, well-tolerated, easy to administer and fairly inexpensive. Results from tDCS trials involving participants with several neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance use disorder are encouraging. The clinical effects of tDCS are broad; the underlying condition, the areas stimulated together with the type and duration of stimulation are important factors. In patients with neuropsychiatric conditions, a reduction of symptoms, an enhancement of neurocognitive functions together with an overall improvement in functionality and wellbeing have been consistently reported. These effects emerge during the stimulation period, in the weeks after stimulation, the effects seem to peak and consolidate further. tDCS appears to enhance the effects of other interventions as well; however, to date, there have been no studies into the effects of using tDCS as an add-on intervention to psychotherapy on symptoms and wellbeing

Conditions

• Psychiatric Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Active tDCS	Active tDCS will be delivered at 2mA for 20 minutes.
BEHAVIORAL	Assertiveness Training Program (ATP)	The Assertiveness Training Program (ATP) is a cognitive-behavioural therapy delivered in group sessions.
DEVICE	Sham tDCS	Sham tDCS, after 40 seconds of stimulation (2mA), a small current pulse was delivered every 550 msec (110 muA over 15 msec).

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-09-01
• Primary completion: 2025-11-30
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2019-09-20
• Last updated: 2023-09-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland