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Could a Head-Zap device lift depression in MS?
NCT ID NCT06901687
First seen Jun 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called tDCS can reduce depression in people with multiple sclerosis. Participants use a headband-like device at home for 30 minutes a day over 30 days, while listening to mindfulness meditation. Half receive real stimulation, half receive a sham (placebo) version, and researchers compare changes in depression and MS symptoms.
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 it works, this could offer a safe, non-drug option for managing depression in people with multiple sclerosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a mid-stage trial with 170 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The sham (placebo) group helps check if benefits are real, but the effect may be small.
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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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 170 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
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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18 to 65 years
- 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: * Age: 18-65 years (inclusive) * Diagnosis: Confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), including relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive subtypes * Stable Medications: Stable use of antidepressant and disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for at least 30 days prior to enrollment * Stable Disease Activity: Defined as no clinical relapse, no new radiological disease activity, and no recent steroid treatment for at least 30 days prior to enrollment * Provider Contact: Confirmed access to a local provider that has primary responsibility for the subjects' clinical care, and who is available for contact in case of increased subject risk due to depressive symptoms * Technical Ability: Ability to use mobile devices and participate in remote, video-supervised sessions Exclusion Criteria: * Neurological or Medical Disorders: History of primary neurological disorder other than MS (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), intracranial mass, epilepsy, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia), major psychiatric disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders), or serious medical conditions (e.g., myocardial infarction, thyroid disease, diabetes with complications, atrial fibrillation) * Substance Use: Nicotine use (e.g., smoking or vaping) within the past 6 months * Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Currently pregnant, planning pregnancy during the study period, or breastfeeding. If able to become pregnant, participants will be required to use medically accepted birth control methods, including hormonal methods (e.g., pills, patches, implants), barrier methods (e.g., condoms or diaphragm with spermicide), intrauterine device (IUD), or abstinence. Participants will be advised not to become pregnant during the study. * Seizure History: History of seizures or seizure disorder within the past 5 years * Implanted Devices or Metal Objects: Presence of metal in the head/neck area (excluding dental fillings) or implanted medical devices (e.g., neurostimulators, pacemakers, defibrillators) * Skin Conditions: Active skin disorders or skin sensitivity near electrode application sites
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
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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NYU Langone Health
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10017, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can diet ease the crushing fatigue of multiple sclerosis?
- Can teachers and a phone app ease teen depression?
- Can imagining exercise boost brain power after spinal cord injury?