Personalized TACS to Reduce Rumination in Patients with Active Suicidal Ideation

Launched by SEBASTIAN OLBRICH · Feb 11, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help people who are experiencing active suicidal thoughts and depression. The researchers want to see if a technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can change brain activity in a specific area linked to thinking patterns, which may help reduce negative thoughts (called rumination) and feelings of being trapped. The main goals are to find out if this treatment can lessen rumination and, in turn, lower suicidal thoughts and feelings of entrapment.

To participate, individuals need to be between 18 and 65 years old and currently experiencing active suicidal thoughts as determined by specific screening tools. Participants will receive either the active tACS treatment or a placebo (sham) treatment during several sessions, but everyone will receive the real treatment at least once. They will fill out questionnaires about their thoughts and feelings before and after the sessions and have their brain activity monitored. It's important to note that this study will start recruiting participants soon and aims to gather data by August 2025.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Active suicidal ideation defined by a score ≥3 on item #10 of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and a combined score of ≥2 on items #4 + #5 of the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS)
• • Clinical diagnosis of a mild to severe depressive episode without psychotic symptoms
• • Voluntary patients at inpatient, outpatient, or day-clinic units of mental health care settings in the greater Zurich area
• • Aged 18-65 years
• • Fluent in German
• • Ability to give written informed consent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Mental disorders due to known physiological conditions
• • Schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders
• • Intellectual disabilities
• • Concurrent vagus nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electro-convulsive therapy, or treatment with nitrous oxide
• • Pregnancy or breast-feeding
• • Chronic migraines
• • Metal implants or any other factor that - in the investigators' judgment - would unduly affect patient safety or compliance during this study