Multichannel tDCS with advanced targeting for major depressive disorder: a tele-supervised at-home pilot study

Introduction Proof-of-principle human studies suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) may improve depression severity. This open-label multicenter study tested remotely supervised multichannel tDCS delivered at home in patients (N=35) with major depressive disorder (MDD). The primary aim was to assess the feasibility and safety of our protocol. As an exploratory aim, we evaluated therapeutic efficacy: the primary efficacy measure was the median percent change from baseline to the end of the 4-week post-treatment follow-up period in the observer-rated Montgomery-Asberg Depression Mood Rating Scale (MADRS). Methods Participants received 37 at-home stimulation sessions (30 minutes each) of specifically designed multichannel tDCS targeting the left DLPFC administered over eight weeks (4 weeks of daily treatments plus 4 weeks of taper), with a follow-up period of 4 weeks following the final stimulation session. The stimulation montage (electrode positions and currents) was optimized by employing computational models of the electric field generated by multichannel tDCS using available structural data from a similar population (group optimization). Conducted entirely remotely, the study employed the MADRS for assessment at baseline, at weeks 4 and 8 during treatment, and at 4-week follow-up visits. Results 34 patients (85.3% women) with a mean age of 59 years, a diagnosis of MDD according to DSM-5 criteria, and a MADRS score ≥20 at the time of study enrolment completed all study visits. At baseline, the mean time since MDD diagnosis was 24.0 (SD 19.1) months. Concerning compliance, 85% of the participants (n=29) completed the complete course of 37 stimulation sessions at home, while 97% completed at least 36 sessions. No detrimental effects were observed, including suicidal ideation and/or behavior. The study observed a median MADRS score reduction of 64.5% (48.6, 72.4) 4 weeks post-treatment (Hedge’s g = -3.1). We observed a response rate (≥ 50% improvement in MADRS scores) of 72.7% (n=24) from baseline to the last visit 4 weeks post-treatment. Secondary measures reflected similar improvements. Conclusions These results suggest that remotely supervised and supported multichannel home-based tDCS is safe and feasible, and antidepressant efficacy motivates further appropriately controlled clinical studies. Clinical Trial Registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05205915?tab=results , identifier NCT05205915.