Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31185966›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychiatry2019

Delayed effect of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with treatment-resistant depression: a pilot study.

Min-Shan Li, Xiang-Dong Du, Hsiao-Chi Chu, Yen-Ying Liao, Wen Pan, Zhe Li, Galen Chin-Lun Hung

Abstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychiatry, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Min-Shan LiTaipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Xiang-Dong DuSuzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China.
Hsiao-Chi ChuTaipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yen-Ying LiaoTaipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wen PanSuzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China.
Zhe LiSuzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, China. hilizhe@hotmail.com.
Galen Chin-Lun HungBlossom Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. galenhung@blossomclinic.org.ORCID 0000-0001-6333-7880

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, which has yielded promising results in treating major depressive disorder. However, its effect on treatment-resistant depression remains to be determined. Meanwhile, as an emerging treatment option, patients' acceptability of tDCS is worthy of attention.

methodsThis pilot study enrolled 18 patients (women = 13) with treatment-resistant unipolar (n = 13) or bipolar (n = 5) depression. Twelve sessions of tDCS were administered with anode over F3 and cathode over F4. Each session delivered a current of 2 mA for 30 min per ten working days, and at the 4th and 6th week. Severity of depression was determined by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS); cognitive performance was assessed by a computerized battery.

resultsScores of MADRS at baseline (29.6, SD = 9.7) decreased significantly to 22.9 (11.7) (p = 0.03) at 6 weeks and 21.5 (10.3) (p = 0.01) at 8 weeks. Six (33.3%) participants were therapeutically responsive to tDCS. MADRS scores of responders were significantly lower than those of non-responders at the 6th and 8th week. Regarding change of cognitive performance, improved accuracy of paired association (p = 0.017) and social cognition (p = 0.047) was observed at the 8th week. Overall, tDCS was perceived as safe and tolerable. For the majority of patients, it is preferred than pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.

conclusionsTDCS can be a desirable option for treatment-resistant depression, however, its efficacy may be delayed; identifying predictors of therapeutic response may achieve a more targeted application. Larger controlled studies with optimized montages and sufficient periods of observation are warranted.

trial registrationThis trial has been registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( ChiCTR-INR-16008179 ).

Indexed as

AdultDepressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsPrefrontal CortexTime FactorsTranscranial Direct Current StimulationTreatment OutcomeCognitive abilityTranscranial direct-current stimulationTreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID31185966
PMCPMC6560811

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.