Home ‑Administered tDCS for Major Depressive Disorder: Exploring the Predictive Value of EEG Biomarkers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51338/rppsm.598Keywords:
Biomarkers, Depressive Disorder, Major/therapy, Electroencephalography, Transcranial Magnetic StimulationAbstract
Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent condition with a significant treatment‑resistant population. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a promising non‑invasive treatment, but biomarkers to predict its efficacy are needed. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of home‑administered tDCS in treating MDD and investigate frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) as a predictor of treatment response.Methods: A total of 35 patients diagnosed with MDD underwent a four‑week tDCS treatment. Depression severity was measured using the PHQ‑9 scale, and FAA was calculated from EEG recordings. Paired t‑tests and Pearson correlation were used to analyze changes in depression scores and FAA, while logistic regression assessed FAA’s predictive value for treatment response.
Results: Sixty percent of patients showed improvement in depression symptoms post‑treatment, with 63% classified as responders. Significant changes in FAA were observed in responders (p<0.05), and a strong positive correlation was found between FAA changes and reductions in depressive symptoms (r= 0.63). Pre‑treatment FAA was a significant predictor of treatment response (p<0.05), with higher FAA values associated with a lower probability of response.
Conclusion: Home‑administered tDCS is an effective intervention for MDD, with FAA emerging as a valuable biomarker for predicting treatment response. These findings support the use of FAA in personalizing tDCS treatment for MDD.
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