BackgroundDepressive disorders are clinically heterogeneous and mechanistically complex psychiatric conditions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a key non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has expanded rapidly in both therapeutic application and mechanistic research. However, the field is marked by rapid publication growth, thematic diversity, and variability in evidence quality. A systematic quantitative synthesis is therefore needed to map the research landscape, identify hotspots, and inform future directions.MethodsA systematic search was conducted for English-language publications in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), Scopus, and PubMed using the terms (“Transcranial direct current stimulation” OR “tDCS”) AND (“depression” OR “major depressive disorder” OR “depressive disorder” OR “MDD”). Only articles and reviews were included. Records from 2026 and non-research publications, including conference abstracts, editorials, letters, news items, and errata, were excluded. Deduplication was performed using DOI-based matching followed by title-assisted matching. Bibliometrix (R), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to analyze publication trends, contributions by countries/regions, institutions, authors, and journals, collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence, thematic clustering, and burst terms. Citation analysis was based on WoSCC data only.ResultsResearch on tDCS for depression showed sustained growth, with marked acceleration after 2020 and a peak in 2024. The United States, Germany, and Brazil occupied central positions in both productivity and international collaboration, with the United States ranking first in publication volume. Major research hubs included the Universidade de São Paulo, the University of Toronto, and Harvard University, while Brain Stimulation, Journal of Affective Disorders, and Frontiers in Psychiatry were the leading publication venues. Highly cited studies mainly focused on neurophysiological mechanisms, pivotal randomized controlled trials, and evidence-based guidelines. Keyword analyses indicated a shift from early attention to cortical excitability, safety, and short-term efficacy toward a more integrated framework involving prefrontal-targeted stimulation, cognitive function, functional connectivity, treatment outcomes, and cross-disorder applications.ConclusiontDCS research in depression is entering a multidimensional and interdisciplinary phase, with increasing emphasis on network-level mechanisms and precision intervention. Functional connectivity is emerging as a potential biomarker for patient stratification and outcome prediction. Further progress depends on multicenter standardization, reproducible analytic pipelines, and high-quality comparative effectiveness research.
Tryptophan modulates the impact of prolactin on insomnia in perimenopausal women: a cross-sectional study
BackgroundInsomnia is highly prevalent among perimenopausal women and exerts detrimental effects on physical health, psychological well-being, and overall quality of life. However, its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify factors associated with insomnia in perimenopausal women.MethodsA total of 187 perimenopausal women aged 45–55 years were enrolled. Insomnia, anxiety, and depression severity were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Serum levels of relevant amino acids and hormones were measured. Spearman correlation and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the associations among prolactin levels, tryptophan levels, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Moderation analysis was further conducted to evaluate the potential moderating role of tryptophan in these relationships.ResultsSerum prolactin levels were positively associated with scores of ISI, GAD-7, and PHQ-9. Furthermore, prolactin levels were positively correlated with the severity of sleep-onset difficulties, sleep maintenance problems, noticeability of impairment, and sleep-related distress. Of note, serum tryptophan levels significantly moderated the association between prolactin levels and ISI scores (β = 0.227, 95% CI = 0.04–0.41, p = 0.0148). To wit, he positive relationship between prolactin levels and insomnia severity was stronger in perimenopausal women with higher serum tryptophan levels compared with those with lower levels.ConclusionsThe moderating effect of serum tryptophan on the relationship between prolactin levels and insomnia in perimenopausal women helps us understand the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying perimenopausal insomnia and may inform future research on targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies.
Predictive Value of Early Peritraumatic Distress Screening for Childbirth-PTSD Following Unplanned Cesarean Delivery
Conditions: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Post Partum Depression; Acute Stress Symptoms
Interventions: Other: Postpartum Psychological Screening
Sponsors: University of British Columbia; Women’s Health Research Institute of British Columbia
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Other: Postpartum Psychological Screening
Sponsors: University of British Columbia; Women’s Health Research Institute of British Columbia
Not yet recruiting
PB-18 Probiotic for Mild to Moderate Depression
Conditions: Depressive Disorder
Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Bifidobacterium; Other: Placebo
Sponsors: First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Bifidobacterium; Other: Placebo
Sponsors: First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University
Not yet recruiting
Synaptic Mechanisms of Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation in Depression
Conditions: Major Depression
Interventions: Drug: D-Cycloserine (DCS); Device: Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS); Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sham; Drug: Memantine; Drug: Lorazepam (drug); Drug: Baclofen; Drug: Placebo
Sponsors: Mclean Hospital; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Recruiting
Interventions: Drug: D-Cycloserine (DCS); Device: Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS); Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sham; Drug: Memantine; Drug: Lorazepam (drug); Drug: Baclofen; Drug: Placebo
Sponsors: Mclean Hospital; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Recruiting
Optimizing Stimulation Parameters for Electroconvulsive Therapy
Conditions: Depression – Major Depressive Disorder; Catatonia
Interventions: Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy
Sponsors: University of Pennsylvania
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Procedure: Electroconvulsive Therapy
Sponsors: University of Pennsylvania
Not yet recruiting
Inhaled DMT for Major Depressive Disorder
Conditions: MDD; Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); Major Depression; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide
Interventions: Drug: N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (15 mg + 60 mg); Drug: N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (1 mg + 4 mg)
Sponsors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte; Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Drug: N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (15 mg + 60 mg); Drug: N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (1 mg + 4 mg)
Sponsors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte; Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
Not yet recruiting
<![CDATA[A multicenter study tests SAINT TMS for postpartum depression.]]>
Momentary predictors of dissociation in functional neurological disorder: an ecological momentary assessment-based pilot study
IntroductionEvidence suggests that dissociation may play a role in the manifestation of functional neurological disorder (FND). Dissociative experiences are frequently reported in FND, yet their dynamic associations with affective and physiological states remain underexplored. This pilot study aimed to examine dissociative symptoms in daily life in FND, to identify predictors of dissociation using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) combined with wearable heart-rate monitoring.MethodsSeventeen individuals with FND (functional seizures/motor symptoms) and seventeen age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed EMA via pseudorandom smartphone prompts eight times daily for one week. This was a secondary analysis of data from a pilot case-control intensive longitudinal observation study. Dissociation (depersonalisation, derealisation, amnesia), negative affect, and subjective arousal were assessed using items modified from validated scales, while heart-rate was continuously recorded via Fitbit devices. Multilevel modelling was conducted to examine between-group differences, and momentary associations between predictors (negative affect, subjective arousal, heart-rate) and dissociative symptoms within the FND group. Time-lagged analyses explored temporal relationships between the predictors and dissociative symptoms.ResultsThe FND group reported significantly higher dissociative symptoms across the week compared to controls; amnesia (F(1,34)=13.09, p <.001), depersonalisation (F(1, 34)=7.35, p = .010), and derealisation (F(1, 34)=8.31, p = .007), these differences withstood correction for anxiety, but not for depression. Negative affect (p-values=<0.001, β=0.094-0.111), subjective arousal (p-values=<0.001, β=0.102-0.124), and higher heart-rate (p-values = 0.01-0.006, β= 0.078-0.091) were each significant concurrent predictors of all three dissociative symptom types. In combined models, negative affect and subjective arousal remained robust predictors across all symptom domains, whereas heart-rate lost significance. Time-lagged analyses did not yield significant associations.ConclusionIndividuals with FND self-reported elevated dissociative symptoms in daily life compared to healthy controls; however, these significant differences did not remain when controlling for depression. Dissociation was consistently associated with subjective arousal and negative affect, but not heart-rate, underscoring the importance of subjective emotional states over physiological influences on self-reported dissociative symptom variability. The absence of temporal effects highlights the transient nature of dissociation in FND. These findings support the possibility of conceptualising FND through a dissociative lens and emphasise the need for larger longitudinal studies to clarify underlying mechanisms.
Facilitating Thought Progression: A Neurocognitive Framework Linking Thought Dynamics and Mood Disorders
Mood and thought are tightly coupled, but the mechanisms linking them are not understood. This link is particularly important when considering mood disorders such as depression. We propose the Facilitating Thought Progression (FTP) framework, which characterizes depression as a disorder of thought dynamics, encompassing both the temporal evolution and semantic expanse of mental activity. Five parameters jointly determine the fluency of thought progression: breadth, speed, flexibility, novelty, and scope.