Can your heartbeat tell doctors how to treat depression?

NCT ID NCT06455527

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: NYU Langone Health Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether heart rate data can help guide a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called tDCS for people with mild to moderate depression. One hundred participants will receive either real or sham tDCS at home over 10 sessions. Researchers will monitor heart rate to see if it can predict who responds best to the treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a more personalized, at-home brain stimulation treatment for depression that uses heart rate to guide therapy.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage study focused on finding a biomarker, not on proving the treatment works. The sample size is small, and results may not apply to everyone with depression.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression depressive disorder major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DEPRESSION

Contacts and locations

Locations

NYU Langone Health
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10017, United States

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