Cytokines plasma levels during antidepressant treatment with sertraline and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): results from a factorial, randomized, controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

The inflammatory hypothesis of depression states that increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines triggered by external and internal stressors are correlated to the acute depressive state. This hypothesis also suggests that pharmacotherapy partly acts in depression through anti-inflammatory effects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a novel, promising, non-invasive somatic treatment for depression, although its antidepressant mechanisms are only partly understood.

Objectives

We explored the effects of tDCS and sertraline over the immune system during an antidepressant treatment trial.

Methods

In a 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 73 antidepressant-free patients with unipolar depression were randomized to active/sham tDCS and

SUBMITTER: Brunoni AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4081040 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature