Home-Based Brain Stimulation Shows Promise for Treating Depression in 60% of Patients

Oct 21, 2024, 03:09 PM

A recent study has shown that home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be an effective treatment for major depressive disorder. The fully remote phase 2 randomized sham-controlled trial demonstrated that tDCS, which delivers a small electrical current to the brain, has beneficial effects in cases of depression that do not respond to drugs or therapy. The study suggests that people with depression could administer brain stimulation at home, potentially offering a new avenue for treatment. The Flow tDCS headset, in particular, was highlighted, although some experts caution that the between-group difference in effectiveness is modest. British tabloid headlines claim that the headset 'eradicates' depression in 60% of patients.