N/A N=44 Treatment

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Therapy for Bipolar Depression

Depression, Bipolar · Bipolar Disorder · Mood Disorders · Mental Disorder

Bottom Line

View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05436613 ↗

Enrolled (actual)

Serious AEs

2.3%

Results posted

Aug 2025

Primary outcome: Primary: Number of Participants With Clinical Response [ Time Frame: At 6 Weeks Following Course of tDCS Treatment ] — 34 Participants

Study Design & Population

Study type: Interventional
Phase: N/A
Interventions: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Device)
Age: Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
Sex: All
Sponsor: University of East London
Primary completion: May 2024

Outcome Measures

Outcome	Result	p-value
PRIMARY Number of Participants With Clinical Response [ Time Frame: At 6 Weeks Following Course of tDCS Treatment ]	34	—
SECONDARY Participant Retention at the End of the Treatment	41	—
SECONDARY Participant Acceptability Questionnaire Scales	41	—

Summary

Bipolar disorder is a severe and disabling disorder. The course of illness is often progressive but is highly heterogeneous between individuals and within the lifetime for an individual. The most common treatments are medications. However, for many individuals, combinations of medications are often required, and full recovery is infrequent. The novel brain stimulation treatment, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), is a potential first-line treatment for bipolar depression. The present research question is whether tDCS can be provided as a home-based treatment for bipolar depression for adults with bipolar disorder.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

diagnosis of bipolar disorder based on DSM-5 criteria
minimum score of 18 on the MADRS
being on a stable dosage of mood stabilizing medication for a minimum of two weeks

Exclusion Criteria

comorbid psychiatric disorder
significant risk of suicide or self harm
any contraindications to tDCS, including implanted electronic medical devices
history of epilepsy

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05436613). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.