Could a High-Dose brain zapping ease Late-Life depression?
NCT ID NCT07657234
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tests whether high-dose transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is safe and feasible for treating depression in adults aged 60 and older. Participants receive three daily sessions of brain stimulation, three times a week for three weeks. The study focuses on how well people tolerate the treatment and whether it engages brain circuits linked to depression.
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 point toward a non-drug treatment option for depression in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study focused on safety and feasibility, not effectiveness. The results may not apply to all older adults with depression.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all of the following criteria: 1. age 60 years or older; 2. diagnosis of unipolar major depressive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); 3. score of 17 or higher on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) at screening; 4. stable antidepressant regimen for at least four weeks prior to enrollment, if applicable; 5. capacity to provide informed consent; 6. Clinical Dementia Rating scale of 0 or 0.5. Exclusion Criteria: Participants meeting any of the following criteria will be excluded: 1. contraindications to tDCS including metallic cranial implants, skin conditions at electrode sites (eczema, open wounds, burns, lesions), or history of adverse reaction to tDCS; 2. contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including pacemaker, cochlear implants, ferromagnetic implants, or claustrophobia; 3. history of seizures or epilepsy; 4. bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, or severe personality disorder; 5. dementia or MoCA score below 17; 6. substance use disorder within the past six months; 7. neuromodulation treatment including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), tDCS, or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) within the past six months; 8. active suicidal ideation with plan or intent requiring a higher level of care; 9. concurrent use of medications that substantially lower seizure threshold; 10. pregnancy.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States
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