Effects of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) on Adults with Symptoms of Depression—A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Teris Cheung (), Tim Man Ho Li, Yuen Shan Ho, Georg Kranz, Kenneth N. K. Fong, Sau Fong Leung, Simon Ching Lam, Wing Fai Yeung, Joyce Yuen Ting Lam, Kwan Hin Fong, Roland Beisteiner, Yu-Tao Xiang and Calvin Pak Wing Cheng
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Teris Cheung: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Tim Man Ho Li: Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Yuen Shan Ho: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Georg Kranz: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Kenneth N. K. Fong: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Sau Fong Leung: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Simon Ching Lam: School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong SAR, China
Wing Fai Yeung: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Joyce Yuen Ting Lam: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Kwan Hin Fong: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Roland Beisteiner: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Yu-Tao Xiang: Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
Calvin Pak Wing Cheng: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) is a recent development in non-invasive brain stimulations (NIBS) that has been proven to be effective in terms of significantly improving Alzheimer patients’ cognition, memory, and execution functions. Nonetheless, there is, currently, no trial evaluating the efficacy of TPS on adults with major depression disorder (MDD) nationwide. In this single-blinded, randomized controlled trial, a 2-week TPS treatment comprising six 30 min TPS sessions were administered to participants. Participants were randomized into either the TPS group or the Waitlist Control (WC) group, stratified by gender and age according to a 1:1 ratio. Our primary outcome was evaluated by the Hamilton depression rating scale-17 (HDRS-17). We recruited 30 participants that were aged between 18 and 54 years, predominantly female (73%), and ethnic Chinese from 1 August to 31 October 2021. Moreover, there was a significant group x time interaction (F(1, 28) = 18.8, p < 0.001). Further, when compared with the WC group, there was a significant reduction in the depressive symptom severity in the TPS group (mean difference = −6.60, p = 0.02, and Cohen’s d = −0.93). The results showed a significant intervention effect; in addition, the effect was large and sustainable at the 3-month follow-up. In this trial, it was found that TPS is effective in reducing depressive symptoms among adults with MDD.

Keywords: transcranial pulse stimulation; noninvasive brain stimulation; efficacy; major depressive disorder (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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