Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31899509›Full record

Trial reportThe international journal of neuropsychopharmacology2020

Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation for the Acute Treatment of Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Stevan Nikolin, Angelo Alonzo, Donel Martin, Veronica Gálvez, Sara Buten, Rohan Taylor, James Goldstein, Cristal Oxley, Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic, Colleen K Loo

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01792414 (Transcranial Electrical Stimulation), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
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.

NCT01792414 nacompletednot on this map

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) for the Treatment of Depression.

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of New South WalesRan2013 to 2016Enrolled70ConditionsMajor DepressionArmsSham TES, Active TES
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Safety and Efficacy of Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
  5. Advances in the Clinical Application of Neurostimulation in Major Depression.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026
    Review
  6. Article
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

10 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Stevan NikolinSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Angelo AlonzoSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Donel MartinSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Veronica GálvezSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Sara ButenSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Rohan TaylorSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
James GoldsteinCurrumbin Clinic, Currumbin, Australia.
Cristal OxleyDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Michael Rutter Centre - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
Dusan Hadzi-PavlovicSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Colleen K LooSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
UNSW Sydney · AUInstitute of Research and Innovation Parc Tauli · ESPrince of Wales Hospital · AUSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust · GBSt George Hospital · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTranscranial electrical stimulation has broad potential as a treatment for depression. Transcranial random noise stimulation, which delivers randomly fluctuating current intensities, may have greater cortical excitatory effects compared with other forms of transcranial electrical stimulation. We therefore aimed to investigate the antidepressant efficacy of transcranial random noise stimulation.

methodsDepressed participants were randomly assigned by computer number generator to receive 20 sessions of either active or sham transcranial random noise stimulation over 4 weeks in a double-blinded, parallel group randomized-controlled trial. Transcranial random noise stimulation was delivered for 30 minutes with a direct current offset of 2 mA and a random noise range of 2 mA. Primary analyses assessed changes in depression severity using the Montgomery-Asperg Depression Rating Scale. Neuroplasticity, neuropsychological, and safety outcomes were analyzed as secondary measures.

resultsSixty-nine participants were randomized, of which 3 discontinued treatment early, leaving 66 (sham n = 34, active n = 32) for per-protocol analysis. Depression severity scores reduced in both groups (Montgomery-Asperg Depression Rating Scale reduction in sham = 7.0 [95% CI = 5.0-8.9]; and active = 5.2 [95% CI = 3.2-7.3]). However, there were no differences between active and sham groups in the reduction of depressive symptoms or the number of participants meeting response (sham = 14.7%; active = 3.1%) and remission criteria (sham = 5.9%; active = 0%). Erythema, paresthesia, fatigue, and dizziness/light-headedness occurred more frequently in the active transcranial random noise stimulation group. Neuroplasticity, neuropsychological, and acute cognitive effects were comparable between groups.

conclusionOur results do not support the use of transcranial random noise stimulation with the current stimulation parameters as a therapeutic intervention for the treatment of depression. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION AT CLINICALTRIALS: gov/NCT01792414.

Indexed as

Transcranial Direct Current StimulationAdultBipolar DisorderCognitive DysfunctionDepressionDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMajor Depressive DisorderMaleMiddle AgedNeuronal PlasticityPlacebosSeverity of Illness IndexTreatment FailurePlacebos

Identifiers

PMID31899509
PMCPMC7171931
OpenAlexW2996797567

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.