Compared to antidepressants, the Flow headset shows promise with a gentler side effect profile.
Depression treatment is getting a high-tech makeover with the introduction of a the Flow headset. This device lets users give themselves transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) right at home.
But, what sets it apart is that users can sidestep the side effects often linked with traditional treatments.
Plus, with over 30 years of research backing its safety and effectiveness, Flow isn’t just a novelty – it’s a serious player in mental health care.
How the tDCS Technology Works to Treat Depression
The Flow headset uses tDCS to target a specific part of the brain called the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Don’t worry if that sounds like a mouthful – it’s essentially the brain’s mood control center.
Here’s the deal: in people with depression, this area tends to be a bit sluggish. That’s why, the Flow headset aims to wake it up by sending a gentle electrical current (we’re talking 2 mA, which is pretty mild) through electrodes placed on the forehead.
“Depression is associated with lowered activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex.” explained Professor Alex O’Neill-Kerr from Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT).
“This area of the brain helps regulate mood, focus, and can even impact sleep and appetite. So, when this area of the brain has lower activity, these functions are affected.”
Using the Flow is pretty straightforward. You just need to wear the headset for 30-minute sessions, starting with five times a week for three weeks. Then, you can dial it back to three sessions a week.
But it’s not just about zapping your brain. The headset comes with a smartphone app that guides you through its use and includes bonus lifestyle and behavior training modules.
These training modules, backed by research, cover different parts of mental health. Some of these include behavior activation, mindfulness, exercise for brain health, anti-depression diet, and sleep techniques.
Using the treatment at home has many benefits. You can use it more often and more regularly, which might lead to better results.
It’s also a solid option for those who either don’t jive with antidepressants or would rather avoid them altogether.
Study Results and Home Use Benefits
A recent study with 174 people who had moderate to severe depression compared the Flow headset to a placebo treatment over 10 weeks.
Conducted in both the UK and USA, this study included adults 18 years and older experiencing a current depressive episode of at least moderate severity.
The results were promising. 56% of those receiving active treatment experienced relief from all depressive symptoms, compared to 26% in the placebo group.
“These exciting and encouraging new data raise the prospect of a real advance in the treatment of depression. Major depression is undertreated throughout the world, and all of the currently widely used treatment modalities have significant limitations.” says Allan Young, the Chair of Mood Disorders at King’s College London.
“The nature of this treatment, being both effective and well tolerated, means that it is a treatment which may be widely adopted and should be a helpful intervention for many people suffering from major depression.”
Overall, the study showed improvements in depression symptoms, whether rated by doctors or by the participants themselves.
There were a few minor side effects like skin redness or trouble focusing, though. But none of them are as serious compared to traditional methods.
Interestingly, the device showed clear benefits in treating depression symptoms. But, the study found no significant difference in quality of life measures between the treatment arms. This suggests that further research may be needed to understand the full impact of the therapy.
Patient Experiences and Future Potential
Ashley Riley, a 52-year-old father of two from Northamptonshire who tried the device in an NHS trial, shared his good experience.
“I’m fully functioning now,” Riley said.
“I’m able to work again, I’m able to be a dad and be a husband in the way I need to be. You put on this headset, and you get this little tingling when you use it… but it becomes part of your treatment and you do start to feel more positive.”
As expected, healthcare providers have also noticed the potential of this technology.
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) has started offering the Flow headset to patients in various mental health services.
But, this isn’t a magic bullet for everyone. Further research is also still needed before a wider use.
Even so, he’s optimistic about the headset’s potential, especially given the study results.
“I’ve seen patients of mine that I’ve known for months if not years, get better with transcranial direct-current stimulation,” he added.