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NCT04159012: NESBID

NESBID: Neuro-Stimulation of the Brain in Depression

Withdrawn NA Last updated 21 January 2026
What this trial tests

NA trial testing Transcranial direct current stimulation in Depressive Disorder, Major. Withdrawn.

Timeline
1 September 2020
Primary endpoint
15 November 2025
15 November 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsorUniversity of Alberta
PhaseNA
StatusWithdrawn
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingquadruple
Primary purposetreatment
Start date1 September 2020
Primary completion15 November 2025
Estimated completion15 November 2025
Sites1 location across Canada

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

University of Alberta

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Depressive Disorder, Major or Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

In Canada, approximately 20% of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have treatment-resistance and fail to respond to trials of pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy. Although the treatment of choice has historically consisted of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), this is not always feasible or practical, and carries a risk of side-effects that may be unacceptable to certain patients. In this pragmatic, multi-site, placebo-controlled and double-blinded clinical trial, participants with ultra treatment-resistant MDD will be randomized to receive either active or sham transcranial direct current stimulation in addition to their usual treatment. Ultra treatment-resistant depression will be operationally defined as MDD that has failed to respond to at least five previous trials of antidepressants at sufficient doses, or ECT, or ketamine. Patients will receive a total of 30 active or sham treatment sessions (5 per week), for 30 minutes per session. In both groups, the anode will be placed over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (position F3), and the cathode over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (position F4). Patients in the sham group will receive electrical stimulation at 2 mA for less than 30 seconds, whereas patients in the active group will receive that level of stimulation for the entire duration of treatment. The study's primary outcome is the change in score on a clinician-graded depression inventory (the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scales). Secondary outcomes include change in scores on a self-administered depression rating scale and measurement of function scale. Information on language ability will also be collected, as will data on side-effects of treatment. Scores will be collected before the trial start, after every 10 sessions, and one month after trial completion.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. The Neurostimulation of the Brain in Depression Trial: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Depression.
    Suleman R, Tucker BV, Dursun SM, Demas ML. · · 2021 · cited 1× · PMID 33729165 · DOI 10.2196/22805

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Transcranial direct current stimulation

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Depressive Disorder, Major

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other University of Alberta trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT04159012.

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing