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Optimizing tDCS Protocol for Clinical Use in Major Depressive Disorder

Optimized Multichannel tDCS Protocol vs Conventional and Sham tDCS for Clinical Use in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06165445
Enrollment
60
Registered
2023-12-11
Start date
2021-06-01
Completion date
2023-03-01
Last updated
2026-03-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cognitive Impairment, Depressive Disorder, Psychiatric Disorder

Keywords

major depressive disorder, tDCS

Brief summary

In this project, the efficacy of different tDCS protocols in major depression will be investigated. The tDCS protocols have already been investigated in humans, and results showed that stimulation intensity has a different effect on tDCS long-term aftereffects based on the human motor cortex model. The project has three major goals: first, we want to see if the differential outcome of tDCS dosage, as present in healthy populations, can be translated to patients with major depression. Second, we want to compare the efficacy of a multi-channel novel protocol with conventional tDCS modules. Lastly, we are interested in the safety and tolerability of optimized multi-channel. The project output will be an optimized tDCS protocol for major depression treatment.

Interventions

DEVICEtranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

In tDCS, direct electrical currents at the intensity of interest (2 mA for example) are generated by an electrical stimulator and are noninvasively delivered to the scalp through a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (7×5 cm) or via more than two but smaller round electrodes over the target regions.

DEVICEmultichannel transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

In multichannel tDCS, direct electrical currents at the intensity of interest (2 mA for example) are generated by an electrical stimulator and are noninvasively delivered to the scalp through more than two and smaller round electrodes over the target regions.

Sponsors

The National Brain Mapping Laboratory (NBML)
Lead SponsorOTHER
Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors
CollaboratorOTHER
Neuroelectrics Corporation
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Zanjan University of Medical Sciences
CollaboratorOTHER
RWTH Aachen University
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

to secure investigator blinding, interventions were applied by independent investigators who were not involved in outcome measure ratings

Intervention model description

randomized, double-blind, parallel group trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Meet DSM-5 criteria for a moderate-to-severe major depression, primarily by a DSM-5-based structured interview by a licensed psychiatrist, confirmed by score on Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) * being 18-60 years old * providing written informed consent * If female, negative urine pregnancy test * Treatment naïve or on a stable standard antidepressant regimen (including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs) or tricyclics (TCAs)) with no change in treatment 6-weeks prior to and during the tDCS intervention

Exclusion criteria

* smoker * pregnancy * alcohol or substance dependence * history of seizure * history of neurological disorder * comorbid Schizophrenia Axis I disorder, bipolar disorder, substance abuse or dependence, dementia, personality disorder * history of head injury * currently receiving any form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy * Presence of ferromagnetic objects in the body that are contraindicated for brain stimulation of the head (pacemakers or other implanted electrical devices, brain stimulators, some types of dental implants, aneurysm clips, metallic prostheses, permanent eyeliner, implanted delivery pump, or shrapnel fragments)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scoresup to 3 months after the interventionthe score on the MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale)
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scoresup to 3 months after the interventionthe score on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The HDRS is a multiple-item questionnaire designed for measuring adult depression and is administered by health care professionals. It is currently the most common depression measure used worldwide. Items on the HDRS are scored from 0 to 4 or 0 to 2 depending on the symptom assessed, with high scores indicating greater symptom pathology. scores typically ranging from 15 to 20 indicate a clinical level of depressive symptomatology
Beck Depression Inventory scoresup to 3 months after the interventionthe score on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). The BDI is a self-reported twenty-one questions about how the subject has been feeling in the last week, and each question has four answers ranging in intensity. Scoring 19 or higher on the BDI-II is considered moderate depression

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Working memory taskup to 1 month after the interventionPerformance in the Spatial Working Memory (SWM) task, which is a recommended test for depression by Cambridge Cognition (CANTAB)
Attention taskup to 1 month after the interventionPerformance in the Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP) task, which is a recommended test for depression by Cambridge Cognition (CANTAB)
Emotion Recognition Taskup to 1 month after the interventionPerformance in the Emotion Recognition Task (ERT), which is a recommended test for depression by Cambridge Cognition (CANTAB)
electroencephalogram (EEG) functional connectivityup to 1 week after the interventionChange in the EEG functional connectivity in the frontal areas
electroencephalogram (EEG) powerup to 1 week after the interventionChange in the EEG alpha/theta/gamma power

Countries

Iran

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 4, 2026