Remotely Supervised, Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Major Depressive Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Motti Haimi, Natália Almeida-Antunes, Simao Pedro Rodrigues Ferreira et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy, safety, feasibility, and acceptability of home-based, remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for major depressive disorder. The analysis included 12 studies, revealing a small but statistically significant improvement in depression symptoms with active tDCS compared to sham (pooled Hedges g = 0.36). However, results were mixed, with some larger trials showing no significant benefit.
Key findings
- Active home-based tDCS showed a pooled Hedges g of 0.36 compared to sham.
- The effect was not robust when excluding the largest positive trial.
- Two largest trials reported negative primary outcomes for depression.
- Adverse events were mostly mild, with one pilot study terminated for skin lesions.
Why it matters
Understanding the efficacy of home-based tDCS is crucial as it offers a noninvasive treatment option for major depressive disorder, especially in populations with limited access to traditional therapies. However, the modest effect size and mixed trial results highlight the need for cautious interpretation.