A headset worn at home that zaps the brain with the energy of a 9-volt battery could help relieve symptoms of depression, according to a study. The treatment relieves all symptoms of depression in more than half of patients (57.5%) in just 10 weeks, the study suggests.
The study was led by researchers at King's College, London, the University of East London, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. It was funded by Flow Neuroscience, a Swedish company that makes a $500 (€459) brain stimulation headset that's designed to be used at home over 30-minute sessions while you do other things, reports NewAtlas.
The study also showed that the headset was able to improve symptoms in 64.2% of the patients involved in the trial.
No serious side effects associated with using the device were reported in the research published in the Nature Medicine journal.
The device can be purchased in the UK, Norway, Hong Kong, and other EU nations. The Swedish manufacturer, Flow Neuroscience, claims to be nearing completion of its application for US Food and Drug Administration approval to sell the depression gadget in the US.
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Although there are comparable devices available in the US, the majority make no claims to treat any particular ailment or symptom. Rather, they may not specifically target certain parts of the brain, but they do promise to increase focus and alertness.
The headset uses an app with a video tutorial, as well as a telemedicine visit, to make sure people are able to correctly position the two electrodes to stimulate two specific brain regions. The first is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is a part of the brain linked to cognition and executive function. The second is engaged in emotional regulation and is referred to as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Research indicates that individuals suffering from depression typically exhibit higher levels of activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and lower levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
The device is designed to speed up brain activity in the region that’s moving too slowly and slow it down where it’s overactive, said Daniel Mansson, a clinical psychologist who co-founded Flow Neuroscience.
Professor Cynthia Fu, the study’s senior author and a professor of affective neuroscience and psychotherapy at King’s IoPPN, said: “The burden of depression is mostly keenly felt by the 280 million people worldwide currently managing symptoms.
“While a combination of antidepressants and therapy generally proves to be effective for many people, medication can have side-effects that some can find disruptive.
“Our study has demonstrated that tDCS is a safe and effective alternative that has the potential to help those in need.”
