Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40089991›Full record

SynthesisRevista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999)2025

Challenges and future directions of transcranial direct current stimulation for depression: insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pedro Henrique Rodrigues da Silva, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Giuseppina Pilloni, Leigh Charvet, Frank Padberg, Marom Bikson, André R Brunoni, Lais B Razza

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

8 authors.

Pedro Henrique Rodrigues da SilvaDepartamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Marie-Anne VanderhasseltDepartment of Head and Skin, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Ghent Experimental Psychiatry Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Giuseppina PilloniDepartment of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Leigh CharvetDepartment of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Frank PadbergDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany.
Marom BiksonDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
André R BrunoniDepartamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Hospital Universitário, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Lais B RazzaDepartment of Head and Skin, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Ghent Experimental Psychiatry Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Funding

FAPESP 2019/06009-6
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDepression is a common and debilitating disorder affecting millions of people. First-line treatments fail to achieve remission in approximately one-third of patients, highlighting a critical need for treatment. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a novel treatment for depression. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the last decade of tDCS trials for depression and to suggest future research directions.

methodsTo synthesize studies from the past decade, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of tDCS for depression.

resultsA total of 21 RCTs were included, showing a moderate effect of active tDCS compared to placebo. We also provided a description of study designs, stimulation parameters, and patient characteristics. We then proposed possible strategies to improve clinical efficacy and reduce outcome variability, including 1) optimization/personalization of tDCS through spatial and temporal target localization, 2) optimized methodological strategies, including home-based, accelerated tDCS protocols and novel study designs, and 3) investigation of the patient profile to identify characteristics that may predict treatment response.

conclusiontDCS shows promise as a treatment for depression, but variability in study parameters and outcomes underscores the need for further optimization. Refinement and standardization of protocols may improve its efficacy.

Indexed as

DepressionDepressive DisorderTranscranial Direct Current StimulationHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeDepressionrandomized clinical trialsreviewtranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40089991
PMCPMC12815327

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.