A pioneering research study evaluating the use of an at-home treatment option for moderate to severe depression. Participate from the comfort of your own home over ten weeks and receive up to £100.
Join us and provide valuable insights for the future of depression treatment.
A pioneering research study evaluating the use of an at-home treatment option for moderate to severe depression. Participate from the comfort of your own home over ten weeks and receive up to £100.
By joining this study, you may provide valuable insights to our depression treatment research.
280 Million people suffer from depression worldwide and only 25% receive treatment [1]. We want to change that.
Due to the lack of access, limited options, and medication side effects many people are left suffering. This study will evaluate the use of at-home transcranial direct current stimulation therapy, commonly known as tDCS. It is a treatment option that for decades was only available in-clinic. The EMPOWER study is investigating the efficacy of this technology for at home use in a simple and portable device.
tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that works by activating neural networks through gentle currents. Depressive symptoms have been associated with lower activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The electrical current in tDCS stimulates brain activity in this region and has the potential to decrease depressive symptoms. tDCS has been shown to have similar results as medication with fewer side-effects.
The EMPOWER study is investigating the use of tDCS at home and its potential to make mental health treatment more accessible for people suffering from depression.
Across ten weeks, you will follow the stimulation treatment protocol and have regular video calls with study doctors to discuss your symptoms. This will require a commitment of five stimulation sessions per week for the first three weeks and then three stimulation sessions per week for the remaining seven weeks. All done from the comfort of your own home. Each session is thirty minutes where you wear the portable device. Throughout the treatment you will be asked to complete standardised questionnaires to measure your depression levels throughout. Your experiences will be used to help determine the value and efficacy of this alternative depression at-home treatment option and potentially help change the way depression is treated in the future.
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Eligible participants will be compensated with £100 for their involvement in the ten-week study. Please note, results from the study will be used for research purposes only.
Consider the following questions:
1. Are you currently 18 years or older?
2. Are you living in England or Wales?
3. Are you clinically diagnosed with moderate to severe depression?
If you responded yes to all of these questions you may be eligible to participate in the study. Complete the study enrollment survey and if you are eligible, one of our study staff will contact you for a follow-up consent call.
1. Complete eligibility survey and if you qualify a member of the study staff will be contact for an
introduction call
2. Electronically sign the informed consent documents, including a release of medical records
3. Receive the portable tDCS device and introductory materials
4. Complete a 10 week stimulation treatment which includes:
5. Receive compensation via PayPal throughout study based on key participation milestones
Click below to see if you are eligible to participate in the EMPOWER study by completing a five minute pre-screen survey. If you qualify, our research team will schedule a follow-up call and ensure you have everything you need delivered directly to your home to participate in the ten-week study.
Mental health and depression are challenges in today's world. The EMPOWER study is investigating an alternative approach to depression treatment to help those suffering.
At Flow Neuroscience, we are dedicated to finding new ways to treat mental health disorders that combine science, technology and empathy. Making mental health treatment simple and accessible for all as we aim for a healthier and happier world.
[1] World Health Organization. (2021, September 13). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression