| Title |
tDCS for the treatment of depression: a comprehensive review
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, February 2016
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s00406-016-0674-9 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Ulrich Palm, Alkomiet Hasan, Wolfgang Strube, Frank Padberg |
| Abstract |
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been investigated for the treatment of major depressive disorders in recent years. Here, we review the implications of current research for the clinical use of tDCS in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Meta-analyses, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, open-label trials, case reports and review articles were identified through a systematic search of the literature database of the National Institutes of Health (USA). Available articles were evaluated with regard to their clinical relevance. Results of tDCS efficacy are inconsistent due to the small sample sizes, the heterogeneous patient samples and the partially high treatment resistance in some studies. Overall, tDCS has very low side effects. Meta-analyses suggest some efficacy of tDCS in the treatment of acute depressive disorder with moderate effect size, and low efficacy in treatment-resistant depression. A general statement about the efficacy of tDCS as a therapeutic tool in major depression seems to be premature. tDCS is considered as a safe therapeutic option and is associated with only minor side effects. The effectiveness of tDCS decreases with resistance to treatment. Psychotropic drugs may attenuate or amplify its effects. The use of 2 mA current strength over 20 min per day over a short time span can be considered as safe. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 6 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 50% |
| Japan | 1 | 17% |
| Unknown | 2 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 6 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 278 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
| Italy | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 276 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 43 | 15% |
| Student > Bachelor | 43 | 15% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 34 | 12% |
| Student > Master | 34 | 12% |
| Other | 16 | 6% |
| Other | 49 | 18% |
| Unknown | 59 | 21% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 52 | 19% |
| Neuroscience | 52 | 19% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 37 | 13% |
| Unspecified | 9 | 3% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 3% |
| Other | 35 | 13% |
| Unknown | 85 | 31% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 17. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 23 January 2019.
All research outputs
#1,978,723
of 23,815,455 outputs
Outputs from European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
#106
of 1,243 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#36,236
of 401,140 outputs
Outputs of similar age from European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
#3
of 18 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,815,455 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 91st percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,243 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.8. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 401,140 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 18 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 83% of its contemporaries.