Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41511563›Full record

Trial reportQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2026

Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for bipolar depression: effects on quality of life and functioning-an open-label study.

Hakimeh Rezaei, Rachel D Woodham, Ali-Reza Ghazi-Noori, Elvira Bramon, Michael Bauer, Allan H Young, Cynthia H Y Fu, Philipp Ritter

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

Trial report in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2026. 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

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hakimeh RezaeiDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 25, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. hakimeh.rezayi@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-4516-5823
Rachel D WoodhamInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Ali-Reza Ghazi-NooriSchool of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK.
Elvira BramonDepartment of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
Michael BauerDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 25, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
Allan H YoungInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Cynthia H Y Fu *Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. cynthia.fu@kcl.ac.uk.
Philipp Ritter *Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Haus 25, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.

Funding

Disentangling the anatomical, functional and clinical heterogeneity of major depression, using machine learning methodsR01MH134236 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI DAVATZIKOS, CHRISTOS, FU, CYNTHIA · 2023 to 2024
$1.5M
NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH134236
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIndividuals with bipolar disorder often experience reduced quality of life (QoL). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising non-invasive treatment for bipolar depression that is portable, safe, and suitable for use at home. We developed a home-based tDCS protocol with real-time remote supervision and examined its effect on QoL in bipolar depression.

methodsIn an open-label design, 44 participants (31 women) with bipolar depression of at least a moderate severity received 21 sessions of home-based tDCS (2 mA, 30 min, F3 anode/F4 cathode) over 6 weeks, with a follow-up visit conducted 5 months from baseline. QoL was assessed using the quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) at baseline, week 2, end of treatment, and follow-up session. Baseline and post treatment scores were compared with healthy control participants (28 adults; 17 women).

resultsAt baseline and at the end of treatment, bipolar participants showed a significantly lower Q-LES-Q score than healthy controls (p < 0.001). Within the bipolar group, there was a significant improvement in total Q-LES-Q scores (p < 0.001) and across multiple domains by week 6 and remained elevated at follow-up. Changes in Q-LES-Q were no longer significant after adjustment for depressive symptoms.

conclusionA 6-week course of supervised home-based tDCS was associated with significant QoL improvements in bipolar depression, which appeared to be closely linked to reduction in depressive symptoms. Randomized, sham-controlled trials are warranted to clarify the specific contribution of tDCS to improve QoL in bipolar depression.

Indexed as

Bipolar DisorderCommunity Mental Health ServicesHome Care ServicesQuality of LifeTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment OutcomeBipolar depressionHome‐based treatmentQuality of lifeTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID41511563
PMCPMC12789176

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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.