Home-based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Postpartum Depression: the Feasibility Study and Pilot Study

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been suggested to the peripartum period combining antidepressant effects with low risks. In tDCS a low intensity constant current is delivered to the scalp with sub-threshold effect on neurons' resting membrane potential. Long stimulation sessions lead to lasting effects and neuroplastic changes. Local tDCS effects target calcium-dependent synaptic plasticity and distal effects alter the networks' connectivity, synchronicity and oscillatory patterns. tDCS applications aim to counteract the hypoactivity of the frontoparietal network and the left sided hyperactivity of the default mode network associated with depressive symptoms.