Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Therapy in Major Depression

Imaging-guided tDCS Therapy in Major Depression

Noninvasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a low-intensity neuromodulation technique of minimal risk that has been used as an experimental procedure for reducing depressive symptoms and symptoms of other brain disorders. Though tDCS applied to prefrontal brain areas is shown to reduce symptoms in some people with major depressive disorder (MDD), the extent of antidepressant response often differs. Methods that map current flow directly in the brain while a person is receiving tDCS and that determine how functional neuroimaging signal changes after a series of tDCS sessions may help us understand how tDCS works, how it can be optimized, and if it can be used as an effective antidepressant. Investigators will address these questions in a two-part randomized double blind exploratory clinical trial. For this part of the study, investigators will determine relationships between target engagement and clinical outcomes (mood) and functional sub-constructs of cognitive control and emotion negativity bias, and whether imaging markers at baseline predict changes in antidepressant response.

One hundred people with depression (50 in each group) will be randomized to receive either HD-tDCS or sham-tDCS for a total of 12 sessions each lasting 20 minutes occurring on consecutive weekdays. At the first and last session, subjects will receive 20-30 minutes of active or sham HD-tDCS in the MRI scanner, which will allow investigators to map tDCS currents, and track changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) pre-to- post treatment using completely non-invasive methods. At the first and last session and mid-way through the trial, participants will also complete a series of clinical ratings and neurocognitive tests.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Active - HD tDCS; Device: Sham - HD tDCS

Detailed Description

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can reduce depressive symptoms and improve cognitive control in major depressive disorder (MDD). Such findings suggest modulation of top down prefrontal-limbic circuits, which are functionally distinct from ventro-limbic networks and include reciprocally connected DLPFC and dorsomedial anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). However, substantial variation in tDCS response is observed in MDD. This may be due to imprecise stimulation protocols and suboptimal engagement of the neural circuits mediating antidepressant response. Methods that optimize electrode placement and account for individual variation in anatomy and that map current flow directly in the brain may inform the mechanisms and potential clinical utility of tDCS. A new tDCS technique, high definition (HD) tDCS, offers more focal stimulation than conventional tDCS (C-tDCS). The degree to which C-tDCS or HD-tDCS engage dorsal prefrontal-limbic neural circuits is unknown, yet is vital for understanding, confirming and subsequently improving possible therapeutic effects. Innovative MRI techniques that are able to map tDCS currents in vivo and that track changes in regional cerebral blood flow occurring with tDCS over time can provide direct evidence of neural effects. Based on a) theoretical modeling of tDCS current flow, b) studies showing hypo-metabolism, decreased CBF or activity in dorsal prefrontal-limbic networks, c) modulation of these regions with treatment, and, c) our prior results showing significant relationships in between change in dACC rCBF and clinical response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), an established brain stimulation treatment, we will test for the tDCS engagement and modulation of the DLPFC and dACC using tDCS current mapping performed in vivo and perfusion MRI. MRI-guided neuronavigation will be used to optimize and standardize electrode placement for DLPFC stimulation.

In this trial, using HD-tDCS that optimal target engagement of DLPFC and larger rCBF changes in the DLPFC and dACC compared to C-tDCS in the first part of the trial, we will define relationships between target engagement and change in mood and behavior. Patients with moderate to severe MDD (N=100, n=50 in each group) will be randomized to Active or Sham left anodal DLPFC HD-tDCS. Patients will complete MRI scans including tDCS current mapping and pCASL as well as two functional imaging tasks probing cognitive control and emotion negativity bias, recruiting prefrontal-limbic circuitry, before and after completing a 12-day trial of 20-minute tDCS sessions.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 72
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Suzanne Kozikowski, MS; Phone Number: (424) 402-9051; Email: DGCNeurostimStudy@mednet.ucla.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
      • University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Capacity to provide informed consent;
• Meet DSM-5 criteria for a moderate-to-severe MDE, with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) score of ≥14 and <24;
• Treatment naïve or on a stable standard antidepressant regimen (including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs) or tricyclic's (TCAs)) with no change in treatment 6-weeks prior to and during the tDCS intervention;
• Live within traveling distance to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA);
• Must refrain from making drastic hair-style changes throughout duration of study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-English speaking;
• Schizophrenia Axis I disorder;
• Primary anxiety disorder;
• Bipolar I disorder and psychotic disorders;
• Any neurological condition or major illness, including seizure disorder;
• Diagnosis of dementia of any type;
• Co-morbid substance abuse in the last three months;
• Contraindications to MR scanning (including pregnancy);
• Contraindications to tDCS (e.g., skin disease or treatment causing irritation);
• Treatment-resistant depression, with a history of a major depressive episode lasting > 2 years or failure to 2 or more antidepressant trials in the current episode;
• Any neuromodulation therapy (e.g., ECT, rTMS, DBS, VNS, or tDCS) within the last 3 months;
• Active suicidality;
• Current or past (within the last 1-month) use of anticonvulsants, lithium, psychostimulants, or dexamphetamine;
• Current use of decongestants or other medication previously shown to interfere with cortical excitability;
• Currently receiving any form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active - HD tDCS; Participants randomized to this arm will receive 12 sessions of high definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) stimulation (Soterix Medical) delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20-30 minutes.	Device: Active - HD tDCS; Non-invasive neuromodulation using HD electrodes placed on the scalp to deliver a constant, low current at 2 mA.
Sham Comparator: Sham - HD tDCS; Participants randomized to this arm will receive 12 sessions of sham HD tDCS stimulation (Soterix Medical) delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20-30 minutes.	Device: Sham - HD tDCS; Sham neuromodulation using HD electrodes placed on the scalp to deliver a low current ramped up/down for 20 sec.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measured joint longitudinal change in rCBF and mood scores over the tDCS trial	Correlation between percent change in rCBF after the tDCS trial and percent change in depressive symptoms for active versus sham tDCS conditions	3 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measured joint longitudinal change in regional brain activation and mood scores over the tDCS trial	Correlation between percent change in regional brain activation for tasks probing cognitive control and emotion and percent change depressive symptoms for active versus sham tDCS conditions	3 weeks
Measured magnetic fields and rCBF at baseline and change in mood scores over the tDCS trial	Correlation between variations in magnetic fields and rCBF at baseline and clinical outcomes at the end of the tDCS treatment trial	3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
• Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Katherine L Narr, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 4, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 6, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 11, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 29, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2024
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: MRI; Major Depression; Transcranial direct current stimulation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20-001544; R33MH110526 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No