Modulation of Cognitive Control by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

University Hospital Tuebingen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Major Depression

Treatments: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); DC-STIMULATOR (NeuroConn GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01652391

211/2010BO1_1

Details and patient eligibility

About

Insufficient cognitive control over emotional distracters is characteristic for major depressive disorder (MDD). Hypoactivation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is associated with this deficit. In this study the investigators assess the effect of an enhancement of dlPFC activity in MDD patients by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive control.

In a double-blinded, balanced randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial the investigators determine the effect of a single-session tDCS to the left dlPFC on cognitive control in MDD patients and healthy controls. To assess the cognitive control the investigators use a delayed response working memory (DWM) task with pictures of varying valence presented during the delay period.

Enrollment: 44 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age > 18
• informed consent
• in the patients group: Major depressive disorder, no antidepressant medication or stability over 1 week

Exclusion criteria

• seizures
• cardiac pacemaker
• deep brain stimulation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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44 participants in 2 patient groups

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) 20min, 1mA, F3 (EEG 10/20), reference right M. deltoideus

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); DC-STIMULATOR (NeuroConn GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany)

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) 40s, 1mA, F3 (EEG 10/20), reference right M. deltoideus

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); DC-STIMULATOR (NeuroConn GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany)