Feasibility and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of adolescent depression in a naturalistic inpatient setting: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has potential as a treatment for adult depression, but its effectiveness in adolescents remains unexplored. This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of tDCS in young in-patients with depression. In a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 34 adolescent in-patients (mean age 15.48 years) received ten sessions of either tDCS or sham stimulation over two weeks, alongside standard treatment. Depression severity, quality of life, emotional and behavioral issues, and executive functions were assessed before, immediately after, and two weeks post-treatment. The results indicated that tDCS was feasible and well-tolerated, with 28 patients completing at least eight sessions. Side effects were reported in nearly half of the sessions (45% sham, 48% tDCS), primarily mild to moderate, and no sessions were interrupted due to discomfort. Both groups experienced significant improvements in depressive symptoms and high treatment satisfaction, but no significant differences were found between the tDCS and sham groups. In conclusion, while tDCS appears to be a safe treatment option for adolescents with depression, this study could not show it to be superior to sham treatment. Further research with greater statistical power is needed to control for covariates.