Sex-Dependant Changes in Depression Associated With Relapse Status
INTRODUCTION: We reported that an intervention combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive training can enhance prefrontal resting state connectivity and reduce relapse rates in alcohol use disorder (AUD) (Camchong et al 2023). Because depression is a common comorbidity in AUD, we sought to further investigate whether this intervention had an effect on depression symptomatology. Furthermore, because depression comorbidity often differs between men and women, we investigated sex-dependant effects of the neuromodulation intervention on depression symptomatology.
METHODS: 59 participants (Age, M=41.65, SD=9.60, 21 women) diagnosed with AUD were recruited from a 28-day residential addiction treatment program. Participants were randomly assigned to 5 days of either active tDCS or sham (both groups with concurrent cognitive training). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one month after residential addiction treatment discharge. Relapse status was recorded 1-month after discharge. Analyses sought to determine sex-dependent differences (biological male and female) on BDI scores and on relapse rates.
RESULTS: There was no significant group (active tDCS vs sham) x time (pre-intervention, post-intervention, 1 month follow-up) interaction on the effect of tDCS on BDI scores. However, when splitting the data by binary relapse status at follow-up, a significant group (women vs men) x time (pre- vs post-intervention vs 1 month follow up BDI score) interaction was found in those that remained abstinent. Women who remained abstinent showed a decrease in BDI scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention to one-month follow-up, while men who remained abstinent showed only a decrease in BDI scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention.
DISCUSSION: Since the sex-dependent relationship was only found for depression (not anxiety or craving scores), results suggest a potential specificity of depressive symptom comorbidity in women. Future research focusing on the relationship between abstinence and depression in larger samples is needed.