At-home brain stimulation can be used to treat depression, a new clinical trial shows About 45% of people receiving the stimulation had their depression go into remission The stimulation is applied through two electrodes placed against the scalp TUESDAY, Oct. 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- At-home brain stimulation therapy can safely and effectively treat severe to moderate , a new clinical trial shows. Rates of treatment response and depression remission were three times higher in people receiving the noninvasive brain stimulation, researchers said.
“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,” said co-lead researcher , chair of psychiatry with the University of Texas McGovern Medical School. For the study, 174 people diagnosed with depression were randomly assigned to receive or forego brain stimulation during a 10-week course of treatment. Those receiving brain stimulation got five 30-minute sessions a week for the first three weeks, followed by three 30-minute sessions a week for the next seven weeks.
The therapy is called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), in which a current of between 0.5 to 2 milliampere is applied to the scalp through two electrodes. This amount of electricity causes at most a slight tingling sensation along the scalp.
The stimulation was self-administered by patients in their own homes, researchers said. About 45% of .