Remediation of Cognitive Dysfunction in Euthymic Bipolar Disorder Patients Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

The University of New South Wales

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 1

Conditions

Bipolar Disorder

Treatments

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (Eldith DC Stimulator)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01339598

HREC 11065

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to investigate the potential for Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to enhance cognitive functioning in euthymic bipolar patients through comparing the effect of active or sham tDCS (placebo control) during the performance of two cognitive tasks. The investigators hypothesize that task performance will be improved with active relative to sham tDCS.

Enrollment

15 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Participants will be right-handed subjects aged 18-65 meeting DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder, with no acute episodes of depression or mania within the previous 12 weeks
A score of ≤ 20 on the MADRS, and a score of ≤ 6 on the YMRS, who have been on a stable dose of mood stabiliser medications for at least 1 month.

Exclusion criteria

Patients with high suicide risk
Co-morbid DSM-IV diagnosis of any psychotic disorder (current or within the last year), schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
Mental retardation
A history of drug or alcohol abuse or dependence within the last 3 months
Co-morbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or any neurological disorder
Recent stroke
Head injury
History of seizure, or who have had electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) within the 6 months preceding enrolment.
Participants will also be excluded if currently taking medications known to be associated with frank cognitive impairment (e.g., benzodiazepines).