An electric headset to treat depression has been recommended as a more widespread treatment for depression after a successful NHS trial. But the long-term benefits of the device are still unknown.
A NHS trial has found that an innovative electric headset for treating depression is an effective way to reduce symptoms and has recommended its wider use within the health service.
The headphones from Flow Neuroscience were given to depressed patients by their GP to wear for 30 minutes a day for a period of six weeks, as a non-invasive way of managing the condition.
The study found it to be an “effective treatment for depression,” using a brain stimulation technique known as transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS.
The device delivers a weak electrical current directly to the front of the brain to stimulate the areas responsible for emotional expression.
The research found that over 58% of people saw improvements within six weeks, and one in three went into remission with no DEPRESSION the symptoms.
Flow Neuroscience says it is “the first and only medically approved home treatment for depression” and can be used in conjunction with other therapies such as talk therapy or medication.
it Was tested on patients from Northamptonshire NHS Foundations Trust but can also be purchased privately for 399.
One of those patients is James Maynard, who struggled with depression before using the headphones.
He told Sky News: “I was very low, I had no goals and I was just going through the thrills of everyday life.
“Go to work, come home from the kids, sleep. If only I could sleep.”
After just a few weeks of using the device every day for 30 minutes, he says his symptoms improved significantly.
“I was starting to sleep a little better. My wife even said I was happier. I wasn’t waking up groggy. So there was definitely something going on.”
One of the NHS trial leaders is Dr Azhar Zafar, who told Sky News that patients report having to use less medicine as a result of the device.
He says, “It’s a new option because for years and years we’ve only had the option of medication or a cognitive behavioral therapy. This treatment method is an adjunctive treatment.”
However, it is not yet known what the long-term benefits of the device are in depression of the last six weeks.
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GP Dr Anita Raja told Sky News that “when it comes to mental health one of the most important things is to understand what the patient’s relapse may be after the treatment is stopped or stopped.”
She says the device is promising, but she wants to know “what happens when the patient stops using the device—do they become depressed again?”
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Image Source : uk.news.yahoo.com
