A recent study by UCLA Health shows that personalised, non-invasive brain stimulation offers significant benefits in the treatment of moderate to severe depression. The use of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) appears to be more effective, faster and more sustainable in improving mood symptoms than conventional treatment options such as standard tDCS, medication or psychotherapy.
HD-tDCS is an innovative variant of the long-studied tDCS technique, in which smaller electrodes and neuroimaging are used to deliver targeted electrical current to specific brain networks. These networks are involved in emotional regulation and self-reflection, both of which are crucial domains in depressive symptoms.
In contrast to the broader approach of classic tDCS, HD-tDCS enables personalised application, whereby the stimulation is tailored to the patient's individual brain profile. Although the technique has not yet been approved by the US FDA for the treatment of depression, growing clinical evidence points to the potential of this personalised form of neuromodulation.
Faster recovery, long-lasting effect
The study included 21 participants, divided into two groups. The intervention group received a daily session of HD-tDCS for 12 working days, while the control group received a placebo intervention. The results show that participants in the HD-tDCS group reported a significant improvement in their mood after just six days. This improvement persisted during follow-up measurements two and four weeks after the treatment period.
‘By targeting brain areas that are specifically disrupted in depression, we see that HD-tDCS positively affects not only mood but also daily functioning,’ said Dr Mayank Anant Jog, first author of the study and assistant professor of neurology at UCLA Health. He also sees potential for broader applications, such as in anxiety disorders, although additional research is still needed.
Accessible and patient-centred
An important advantage of tDCS technology is its potential for home use under the supervision of a healthcare professional. ‘HD-tDCS was well tolerated in our study, with few to no side effects,’ said lead researcher Dr. Katherine Narr, professor of neurology at UCLA Health. ‘This opens the door to low-threshold, personalised therapies for patients who do not benefit sufficiently from medication or psychotherapy, or who prefer to avoid them.’
Although the results are promising, the researchers acknowledge some limitations. For example, the current study did not investigate the interaction between brain stimulation and the simultaneous use of psychotropic drugs. Nor has the personalisation process of HD-tDCS been empirically validated. Follow-up research will focus, among other things, on long-term effectiveness and maintenance treatments.
