Non-invasive Brain Stimulation in Subjects with Major Depressive Disorder

The active tDCS protocol consist of 15 excitatory tDCS sessions distributed over 3 weeks (5 sessions per week, from Monday to Friday), at the same time each day, administered by the same operators and under identical experimental conditions. Each session last 30 minutes, with the Anode electrode placed on the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the Cathode electrode on the right DLPFC at an intensity of 2 mA. The electrodes are positioned according to the 10-20 electroencephalography system (Anode on F3 and Cathode on F4).

The sham-tDCS intervention consist of a placebo 15 tDCS sessions distributed over 3 weeks (5 sessions per week, from Monday to Friday), at the same time each day, administered by the same operators and under identical experimental conditions. Each session last 30 minutes, with the Anode electrode placed on the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the Cathode electrode on the right DLPFC. During the sessions only a 15-second initiation current is applied, providing the patient with the sensation of receiving an electric current on the scalp. Participants will also experience sounds and stimuli similar to those produced by active tDCS.