Remotely Non-invasive Brain Stimulation and Videogame to Alleviate Depression

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, seriously impairing, and often recurrent mental disorder. It has been ranked as a leading cause of disability worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO) as measured by years lived with disability. A considerable number of patients with MDD experience a chronic course of illness and approximately one third of MDD patients do not respond sufficiently to pharmacological treatment, calling for treatment alternatives. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (NIBS) such as tDCS targeting prefrontal cortical areas have emerged as a safe, promising, and cost-effective alternative to traditional treatment options in patients with MDD. This study focuses not only on an overall reduction of depressive symptoms, but also an alleviation of cognitive control deficits in particular, since patients with MDD often suffer from cognitive control deficits. tDCS has been shown to directly modulate cognitive control functions in healthy participants and in depressed patients. Another approach to directly modulate cognitive control functions is cognitive control training. In the present study, an engaging and captivating cognitive control training designed as an action video game will be employed. The primary objective is to test the feasibility and efficacy of this innovative, combined treatment approach for self application, concurrently applying both interventions (tDCS + cognitive control training) in patients suffering from MDD. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to choose to take part in two adjunctive assessments: a biological assessment which includes salivary samples and a multimodal imaging paradigm (structural and functional sequences, including an interleaved TMS-fMRI paradigm).