Does sex matter? Effects of Neuromodulation on Self-Reported Depression Scores in Alcohol Use Disorder
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method that has been used as an intervention in clinical trials for psychiatric disorders including depression, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder. Recent research suggests the effectiveness of tDCS can be enhanced when administered alongside cognitive training exercises that engage higher-order cognitive processes such as reasoning, planning, and decision making. We conducted a longitudinal randomized-controlled clinical trial using an intervention that combines transcranial direct current stimulation and cognitive training in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Short-term abstinent AUD participants (n=84; Age: M=41, SD=11.494; 26 women) were randomly assigned to either active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS; 2mA, F3 anode/F4 cathode) or sham twice a day for five consecutive days. We investigated whether there were intervention-related changes in depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. We found a trend of intervention-related effects specific to depression. Lack of significance could be due to small sample size, and a sample that already was in a stable treatment for MDD. These findings are a foundation for larger clinical trials in individuals with AUD and with populations with more severe MDD.