Effects of tDCS on neuroplasticity and inflammatory biomarkers in bipolar depression: Results from a sham-controlled study

Author(s):Show less -

Goerigk, Stephan ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Cretaz, Eric ^{[4, 5]} ; Sampaio-Junior, Bernardo ; Marciano Vieira, Erica Leandro ^{[6, 7]} ; Gattaz, Wagner ^[8] ; Klein, Izio ^[8] ; Lafer, Beny ^[5] ; Teixeira, Antonio Lucio ^{[7, 9]} ; Carvalho, Andre F. ^{[6, 10]} ; Lotufo, Paulo A. ^{[11, 12]} ; Bensenor, Isabela M. ^{[11, 12]} ; Buehner, Markus ^[1] ; Padberg, Frank ^[3] ; Brunoni, Andre R. ^{[11, 12, 8]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Ludwig Maximilians Univ Munchen, Dept Psychol Methodol & Assessment, Munich - Germany

^[2] Univ Appl Sci, Hsch Fresenius, Munich - Germany

^[3] Ludwig Maximilians Univ Munchen, Dept Psychiat & Psychotherapy, Nussbaumstr 7, D-80336 Munich - Germany

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept & Inst Psychiat, ECT Serv, Fac Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Bipolar Disorder Res Program, Fac Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Ctr Addict & Mental Hlth CAMH, Toronto, ON - Canada

^[7] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Interdisciplinary Lab Med Invest, Fac Med, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[8] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Nacl Biomarcadores Neuropsiquiatria INBioN, Dept & Inst Psychiat, Lab Neurosci LIM 27, Fac Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[9] UT Hlth, Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, Neuropsychiat Program, Houston, TX - USA

^[10] Univ Toronto, Dept Psychiat, Fac Med, Toronto, ON - Canada

^[11] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Internal Med, Ave Prof Lineu Prestes 2565, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[12] Univ Sao Paulo, Hosp Univ, Ave Prof Lineu Prestes 2565, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY; v. 105, MAR 8 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Objectives: We investigated the role of peripheral biomarkers associated with neuroplasticity and immune -inflammatory processes on the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a safe, affordable, and portable non-invasive neuromodulatory treatment, in bipolar depression. Methods: This is an exploratory analysis using a dataset from the sham-controlled study the Bipolar Depression Electrical Treatment Trial (BETTER)(clinicaltrials.gov NCT02152878). Participants were 52 adults with type I or II bipolar disorder in a moderate-to-severe depressive episode, randomized to 12 bifrontal active or sham tDCS sessions over a 6-week treatment course. Plasma levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), interleukins (IL) 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 18, 33, 1 beta, 12p70, 17a, interferon gamma (IFN), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) and its soluble receptors 1 and 2, ST2, and KLOTHO were investigated at baseline and endpoint. We performed analyses unadjusted for multiple testing to evaluate whether baseline biomarkers were predictive for depression improvement and changed during treatment using linear regression models. Results: A time x group interaction (Cohen's d:-1.16, 95% CI = -1.96 to -0.3, p = .005) was found for IL-8, with greater reductions after active tDCS. Higher baseline IL-6 plasma levels was associated with symptomatic improvement after tDCS (F(1,43) = 5.43; p = .025). Other associations were not significant. Conclusions: Our exploratory findings suggested that IL-6 is a potential predictor of tDCS response and IL-8 might decrease after tDCS; although confirmatory studies are warranted due to the multiplicity of comparisons. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/10861-7 - A Phase-I bilateral project using a sham-controlled, factorial design of transcranial direct current stimulation and theta-burst stimulation to investigate the effects on multimodal assessments of prefrontal cortex functioning
• Grantee: Andre Russowsky Brunoni
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants