A HEADSET that can be used at home could help cure depression, a study has found.
The device, which stimulates the brain using electronic pulses, could have a “significant impact” on the future treatment of the condition, experts have said.
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The treatment relieves all symptoms of depression in more than half of patients (57.5 per cent) in just 10 weeks, the research suggests.
The East London study also showed that the headset, which zaps the brain, was able to improve symptoms in 64.2 per cent of the patients involved in the trial.
No serious side effects associated with using the device were reported in the research published in the Nature Medicine journal.
The Flow headset works by stimulating brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the front of the brain, an area linked with depression.
It delivers weak electrical currents, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), through electrodes placed on the forehead.
A camera in an app helps the user put on the headset correctly.
It also controls the electrical current using Bluetooth.
According to the latest available data from the Office for National Statistics, one in six people externally has experienced moderate to severe depression.
Allan Young, chairman of mood disorders, and director of the centre for Affective Disorders in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, said: “These results are very exciting and are poised to have a significant impact on the future treatment of depression.
“Major depression is undertreated throughout the world, and the current treatment modalities have significant limitations.
“This trial shows that this treatment is both effective and well tolerated, giving patients who are currently struggling to find options that work for them a vital new alternative.”
The device is available to buy from Boots for £399 – meaning it can be used by patients at home.
Gemma Collins was previously blasted for promoting the headset on her Instagram.
In the post, the reality star claimed the device worked better than antidepressants and encouraged people to take treatment for the mental health condition into their own hands instead of seeking professional medical help, the UK watchdog ruled.
The 43-year-old, who has 2.2million followers, shared a video of herself wearing the Flow device in May 2023, which has since been taken down.
Patients involved in the research were on a stable long-term dose of an antidepressant but were still moderately to severely depressed going into the study.
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Depression… the signs to look for and what to do
Depression can manifest in many ways.
We all feel a bit low from time to time.
But depression is persistent and can make a person feel helpless and unable to see a way through.
They may also struggle to about daily life.
Mind says these are some common signs of depression that you may experience:
How you might feel
- Down, upset or tearful
- Restless, agitated or irritable
- Guilty, worthless and down on yourself
- Empty and numb
- Isolated and unable to relate to other people
- Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
- Angry or frustrated over minor things
- A sense of unreality
- No self-confidence or self-esteem
- Hopeless and despairing
- Feeling tired all the time
How you might act
- Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy
- Self-harming or suicidal behaviour
- Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions
- Losing interest in sex
- Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things
- Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
- No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight
- Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated
If you feel this way, visit your GP who can help you.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email [email protected] or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Using the device with the antidepressant led to even better results, with remission rates at 67.1 per cent when combined with an antidepressant, the study in 174 patients with depression found.
Professor Cynthia Fu, the study’s senior author and a professor of affective neuroscience and psychotherapy at King’s IoPPN, said: “The burden of depression is mostly keenly felt by the 280 million people worldwide currently managing symptoms.
“While a combination of antidepressants and therapy generally proves to be effective for many people, medication can have side effects that some can find disruptive.
“Our study has demonstrated that tDCS is a safe and effective alternative that has the potential to help those in need.”
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, you can contact the Samaritans on www.samaritans.org, or 116 123 at any time.
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Sun Health’s 6 easy ways to boost your mental health today
WE’RE all guilty of assuming that any effort to be more mentally sound will be a boring slog.
At worst, you might have to endure a miserable early morning run.
At best, you might need to carve out some extra sleep – though perhaps not boring, it might seem like an impossible feat for some.
But in reality, there are lots of small, pain-free tricks that require minimal effort but could have a huge impact on our wellbeing.
The Sun’s health team share their tried and tested ways to boost your mental health, from playing with dogs and using a free meditation app to making use of to-do lists.
Read the full story here.
