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Heart Rate Variability (HRV)-Guided Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

HRV-Guided tDCS: Integrating A Biomarker For Clinical Utility

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06455527
Enrollment
100
Registered
2024-06-12
Start date
2025-01-02
Completion date
2027-11-01
Last updated
2025-11-28

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

Conditions

Depression

Keywords

Depression, Heart Rate, tDCS, Brain stimulation, telehealth

Brief summary

This technology development project will be informed and guided by initial data collection of human subject data. For this purpose, the investigators will recruit n=100 people with mild to moderate depression in a double-blinded, parallel-arm, sham-controlled data collection period administered at home and using the investigator's remotely supervised (RS) tDCS protocol. Enrolled participants will complete 10 days of 30-minute tDCS (2.0, DLPFC left anodal) using the RS-tDCS protocol. During each daily session, standard HR and impedance-based HR (i-HR), obtained from the tDCS headset, will be collected to identify a possible marker of response to tDCS in depression. Participants will be randomized 2:1 to active vs. sham tDCS.

Interventions

DEVICEActive Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

tDCS will be delivered using the 1x1 Mini CT tDCS device. For active tDCS, the device is programmed to ramp up to 2.0 mA (for 30 seconds), provide constant current throughout the session (29 minutes), and then ramp down (for 30 seconds) at the end. Participants will receive 10 sessions of tDCS over the course of this study on weekdays (M-F).

DEVICESham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Sham tDCS will be delivered using the 1x1 Mini CT tDCS device. For sham tDCS, the device is programmed to ramp up to 2.0 mA (for 30 seconds) followed by a ramp down (30 seconds), with no current delivery for 28 minutes, and then ramp up (for 30 seconds) and down (for 30 seconds) at the end. Participants will receive 10 sessions of sham tDCS over the course of this study on weekdays (M-F).

Sponsors

National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
CollaboratorNIH
NYU Langone Health
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Mild to moderate depression (Beck Depression Inventory(BDI)-II 14-28) * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-V-TR) Depressive episode * Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT)-4th Reading Recognition subtest standard score \>85

Exclusion criteria

* Primary neurologic, psychiatric (e.g., multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, intracranial mass, traumatic brain injury (TBI), epilepsy, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia), or major medical disorder (e.g., history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, thyroid disease, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation) (medical history review) * DSM-V-TR bipolar depression, psychotic disorder, or alcohol or substance use disorder (M.I.N.I.) * Active or high suicidality risk (Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, C-SSRS), or otherwise judged as inappropriate by the study clinicians * History of a heart transplant, presence of permanent pacemaker implant or Left Ventricular Assist Device * Use of certain medications that can affect heart rate variability, such as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or cardiac glycosides * Use of antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, or stimulant medications * Pregnant or planning pregnancy during the study period * Seizure disorder or recent (\<5 years) seizure history * Presence of metal objects in the head/neck * Any skin disorder or skin sensitive area near stimulation locations

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Average Heart Rate (HR) Measured Using Polar H10 Chest MonitorUp to Week 4HR will be measured using Polar H10 Chest Monitor at each daily tDCS session.
Average HR Measured Using i-HR Data LoggerUp to Week 4HR will be measured using an impedance-based HR (i-HR) data logger attached to the Mini-CT tDCS device at each daily tDCS session.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI): Trait ScoreBaseline, End of Intervention (Up to Week 4)STAI is a 40-item questionnaire measuring state and trait anxiety. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale. The range of possible scores for trait anxiety ranges from a minimum score of 20 to a maximum score of 80; higher scores indicate greater trait anxiety.
Change in Montgomery Ӓsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) ScoreBaseline, End of Intervention (Up to Week 4)MADRS is a 10-item assessment of severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. Each item is rated on a scale from 0-6. The total score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0-60; higher scores indicate greater severity of depressive episodes.
Change in Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF): Negative Affect ScoreBaseline, End of Intervention (Up to Week 4)PANAS-SF is a self-report questionnaire that consists of two 10-item scales (20 items total) to measure both positive and negative affect. Each item is rated on a scale from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely). The total negative affect score is the sum of negative item responses and ranges from 10 - 50; lower scores represent lower levels of negative affect.
Change in Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF): Positive Affect ScoreBaseline, End of Intervention (Up to Week 4)PANAS-SF is a self-report questionnaire that consists of two 10-item scales (20 items total) to measure both positive and negative affect. Each item is rated on a scale from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely). The total positive affect score is the sum of affect item responses and ranges from 10 - 50; higher scores represent higher levels of positive affect.
Change in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI): State ScoreBaseline, End of Intervention (Up to Week 4)STAI is a 40-item questionnaire measuring state and trait anxiety. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale. The range of possible scores for state anxiety ranges from a minimum score of 20 to a maximum score of 80; higher scores indicate greater state anxiety.

Countries

United States

Contacts

Primary ContactShayna Pehel
Shayna.Pehel@nyulangone.org929-455-5104

Outcome results

None listed

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