Actively Recruiting
Spaced Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Home-Based Feasibility and Safety Study
Led by University of California, San Diego · Updated on 2026-01-09
10
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
74 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The investigators propose a single-arm, open-label study to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, tolerability and feasibility of at-home transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for depression, particularly in cases where patients have not responded well to traditional therapies. Treatment will be delivered over a 2-week period with daily weekday treatments i.e., five tDCS sessions, each lasting 20 minutes, spaced by approximately 20-minute inter-session intervals, for a total of three hours a day. Participants will self-administer treatment at home under direct remote supervision. Pre- and post- treatment neurophysiological biomarkers sessions will also be carried out. The study aims to examine changes in mood, brain activity, and related clinical outcomes before, during, and after treatment, with the goal to provide more information that can be used for future studies. PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE 4 APPOINTMENTS THAT MUST OCCUR IN PERSON IN SAN DIEGO, CA.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Spaced Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Home-Based Feasibility and Safety Study
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Aged between 18 and 85 years at screening
- Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder with a MADRS score of 20 or higher
- Safe for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as assessed by TMS Adult Safety Screening
- History of failed clinical response to adequate antidepressant trials or intolerance to at least two inadequate trials
- Have a stable internet connection and a device compatible with Microsoft Teams
You will not qualify if you...
- History of psychotic or bipolar disorder or depression with psychotic features
- Significant borderline personality disorder
- Significant obsessive-compulsive or post-traumatic stress disorders
- Current moderate or severe substance use disorder or signs of acute withdrawal
- Clinically significant suicidality
- Chronic depression lasting more than 5 years
- Pregnancy, lactation, or inadequate birth control in women of childbearing age
- Significant neurological diseases like dementia, Parkinson's, Huntington's, brain tumor, seizure disorder, subdural hematoma, multiple sclerosis, or head trauma with lasting symptoms
- Unstable medical illness
- Contraindications to tDCS such as ferromagnetic implants, seizure history, or brain lesions
- History of more than 15 TMS sessions or more than 4 ketamine sessions without meaningful response
- Use of benzodiazepines above lorazepam 2 mg/day
- Skin conditions that prevent tDCS use
- Sensory impairments that cannot be corrected
- Inability to consent or participate as an outpatient
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
UCSD Interventional Psychiatry
San Diego, California, United States, 92127
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
I
Interventional Psychiatry
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
1
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