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Accelerated High-Dose tDCS for Depression

NCT07226011 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2026-05-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

In this study, investigators are testing whether a higher dose of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can be safely used in people with depression. Participants will come to the Brain Stimulation Lab and receive mild electrical stimulation through electrodes placed on their scalp.

The study begins with a safety run-in, where the first few participants will receive stimulation at gradually increasing levels (2, 4, and 6 milliamps) while being closely monitored. If no serious side effects are found, later participants will receive repeated 6 milliamp sessions for 5 days total. Investigators will check skin comfort, mood, and overall tolerability after each session.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Participants receive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using a high-dose (6 mA) protocol delivered twice daily for five consecutive weekdays (10 sessions total). The first three participants complete a Day 1 in-lab dose-escalation (2 mA → 4 mA → 6 mA) with a Day 2 skin integrity check before continuing at 6 mA. All sessions last 20 minutes and are followed by adverse-event monitoring.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

    collaborator NIH

  • Medical University of South Carolina

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Clayton Olash, MD · Medical University of South Carolina

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-12-15
Primary Completion
2026-06-30
Completion
2026-08-01
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07226011 on ClinicalTrials.gov