Major Depressive DisorderAcctDCSNCT07444242
Accelerated Treatment of Depressive Patients With tDCS
A study testing Transcranial direct current stimulation in people with Major Depressive Disorder, run by University of Regensburg at 1 site in Germany.
Trial summary
A randomized, controlled three-arm study is planned to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of an accelerated home-based tDCS application (3 weeks of transcranial direct current stimulation at home, twice daily). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Major Depressive Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Transcranial direct current stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGermany
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2026to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Sex: female, male, non-binary
- Age: 18-70 years
- Diagnosis of depression: no current or past psychiatric medication (current episode and history)
- Provision of informed consent to participate
- Sufficient proficiency in the German language
Who cannot join
- Presence of contraindications for tDCS (e.g., electrical implants or metallic objects in the body such as a cardiac pacemaker or insulin pump, dermatological conditions affecting the scalp)
- Neurological disorders (e.g., cerebrovascular events, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, brain malformations, or a history of severe head injury)
- Participation in another clinical trial on depression within the 3 months prior to treatment initiation
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Germany1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Neuromodulation / TMS, University Regensburg
Regensburg, Bavaria, 93053
Stefan Schoisswohl, PhD, +49941 941 1284, stefan.schoisswohl@medbo.de
Ulrike Stadler, +49 941 941 2056, tms-psy-r@medbo.de
About this study
Official title: Accelerated Treatment of Depressive Patients With tDCS (Twice Per Day) - a Placebo Controlled Home-based Treatment
A randomized, controlled three-arm study is planned to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of an accelerated home-based tDCS application (3 weeks of transcranial direct current stimulation at home, twice daily). A total of 30 patients with depression (10 per group), who are currently not taking and have no history of taking antidepressant medication, will be randomly assigned to either an active tDCS condition, a sham (placebo) tDCS condition, or a waitlist control group. The latter two groups will receive active tDCS treatment after completion of the control phase.
This study represents a continuation of the pilot study GSUND DAHOAM (Ethics approval: 20-2091-101; Dragon et al., 2024).
Read the detailed description
The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of home-based tDCS for the accelerated treatment (twice daily) of depressive disorders (GSUND DAHOAM 2.0 = continuation of the study "GleichStrom UND Depression: Anwendung zu Hause Ohne Anreise zur Medbo"; Dragon et al., 2024).
Specifically, the study will assess feasibility (device usability, patient compliance, and usability of the video consultation), effectiveness (clinical ratings), and tolerability of this intervention in 30 patients with depression. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: active tDCS treatment, sham (placebo) tDCS treatment, or a waitlist control group (waiting period: 3 weeks). The latter two groups will subsequently receive active tDCS treatment.
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Being tested
- Transcranial direct current stimulation
- Keywords
- Depression, tDCS, Accelerated
- Medical subject headings
- Depressive Disorder, Major, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Transcranial direct current stimulationDevice
Also called tDCS
Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have gained increasing attention in recent years in both research and the treatment of various psychiatric disorders (Alonzo et al., 2019; Lefaucher et al., 2017).
Compared to other neuromodulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), tDCS offers the advantage of mobile or outpatient use, including home-based application. tDCS devices are small, portable, and cost-effective, and they are associated with a favorable side-effect profile (Alonzo et al., 2019).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Verum accelerated home-based tDCS | Experimental | 10 patients will receive active tDCS during a three-week intervention (accelerated: twice daily). Receives: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation |
| Sham accelerated home-based tDCS | Placebo comparator | 10 patients will receive sham tDCS during a three-week intervention (accelerated: twice daily) with the opportunity to get active tDCS after study completion. Receives: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation |
| Waiting list | No intervention | 10 patients will have to wait for three weeks before the beginning ot the active tDCS intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Course of the scores of the Hamilton Depression rating scale (21 Items)
Depression rating scale (0-65, the lower the better)
Measured: 3 weeks
Course of the scores of the Major Depression Inventory
Depression rating scale (0-50, the lower the better)
Measured: 3 weeks
Compliance
Number of treatments administered (0-30 sessions, the more the better)
Measured: 3 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Mar 2026
- Study start1 Apr 2026
- Primary completion30 Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Major Depressive DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Thirty patients will be randomly assigned to one of three study arms (n = 10 per group): active (verum) tDCS, sham (placebo) tDCS, or a waitlist control group. The latter two groups will subsequently be given the opportunity to receive active tDCS treatment.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Regensburg
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Berthold Langguth, MD, Ph.D., University of Regensburg
- Investigators
- Berthold Langguth, Prof, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Regensburg
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07444242
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25-4450-101
- Acronym
- AcctDCS
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 15 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Accelerated Treatment of Depressive Patients With tDCS (Twice Per Day) - a Placebo Controlled Home-based Treatment
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07444242
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AcctDCS / 25-4450-101
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Keywords
- Depression, tDCS, Accelerated
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of RegensburgUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
A randomized, controlled three-arm study is planned to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of an accelerated home-based tDCS application (3 weeks of transcranial direct current stimulation at home, twice daily). A total of 30 patients with depression (10 per group), who are currently not taking and have no history of taking antidepressant medication, will be randomly assigned to either an active tDCS condition, a sham (placebo) tDCS condition, or a waitlist control group. The latter two groups will receive active tDCS treatment after completion of the control phase.
This study represents a continuation of the pilot study GSUND DAHOAM (Ethics approval: 20-2091-101; Dragon et al., 2024).
Detailed description
The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of home-based tDCS for the accelerated treatment (twice daily) of depressive disorders (GSUND DAHOAM 2.0 = continuation of the study "GleichStrom UND Depression: Anwendung zu Hause Ohne Anreise zur Medbo"; Dragon et al., 2024).
Specifically, the study will assess feasibility (device usability, patient compliance, and usability of the video consultation), effectiveness (clinical ratings), and tolerability of this intervention in 30 patients with depression. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: active tDCS treatment, sham (placebo) tDCS treatment, or a waitlist control group (waiting period: 3 weeks). The latter two groups will subsequently receive active tDCS treatment.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Thirty patients will be randomly assigned to one of three study arms (n = 10 per group): active (verum) tDCS, sham (placebo) tDCS, or a waitlist control group. The latter two groups will subsequently be given the opportunity to receive active tDCS treatment.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Verum accelerated home-based tDCS | Experimental | Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation10 patients will receive active tDCS during a three-week intervention (accelerated: twice daily). |
| Sham accelerated home-based tDCS | Placebo comparator | Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation10 patients will receive sham tDCS during a three-week intervention (accelerated: twice daily) with the opportunity to get active tDCS after study completion. |
| Waiting list | No intervention | –10 patients will have to wait for three weeks before the beginning ot the active tDCS intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Sex: female, male, non-binary
- Age: 18-70 years
- Diagnosis of depression: no current or past psychiatric medication (current episode and history)
- Provision of informed consent to participate
- Sufficient proficiency in the German language
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Presence of contraindications for tDCS (e.g., electrical implants or metallic objects in the body such as a cardiac pacemaker or insulin pump, dermatological conditions affecting the scalp)
- Neurological disorders (e.g., cerebrovascular events, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, brain malformations, or a history of severe head injury)
- Participation in another clinical trial on depression within the 3 months prior to treatment initiation
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Transcranial direct current stimulationAlso: tDCSNon-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have gained increasing attention in recent years in both research and the treatment of various psychiatric disorders (Alonzo et al., 2019; Lefaucher et al., 2017). Compared to other neuromodulation methods, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), tDCS offers the advantage of mobile or outpatient use, including home-based application. tDCS devices are small, portable, and cost-effective, and they are associated with a favorable side-effect profile (Alonzo et al., 2019). | Device | Sham accelerated home-based tDCS, Verum accelerated home-based tDCS |
Primary outcome
Course of the scores of the Hamilton Depression rating scale (21 Items)
Time frame: 3 weeks
Depression rating scale (0-65, the lower the better)
Course of the scores of the Major Depression Inventory
Time frame: 3 weeks
Depression rating scale (0-50, the lower the better)
Compliance
Time frame: 3 weeks
Number of treatments administered (0-30 sessions, the more the better)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Berthold Langguth, Prof, PhD principal investigator
University of Regensburg
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Transcranial direct current stimulation in people with Major Depressive Disorder, run by University of Regensburg at 1 site in Germany.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Stefan Schoisswohl, PD, PhD (+499419411284, stefan.schoisswohl@ukr.de), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Course of the scores of the Hamilton Depression rating scale (21 Items) (time frame: 3 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jun 2026.