title: A Pilot Study of Safety and Efficacy of Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation in Treatment of Bipolar II Depression.
abstract: This double-blind, sham-controlled study sought to investigate the effectiveness of cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) for the treatment of bipolar II depression (BD II). After randomization, the active group participants (n = 7) received 2 mA CES treatment for 20 minutes five days a week for 2 weeks, whereas the sham group (n = 9) had the CES device turned on and off. Symptom non-remitters from both groups received an additional 2 weeks of open-label active treatment. Active CES treatment but not sham treatment was associated with a significant decrease in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores from baseline to the second week (p = 0.003) maintaining significance until week 4 (p = 0.002). There was no difference between the groups in side effects frequency. The results of this small study indicate that CES may be a safe and effective treatment for BD II suggesting that further studies on safety and efficacy of CES may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Deimante
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.forename: Samantha C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Greenman
authors.forename: Siva Sundeep
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Koppolu
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varvara
authors.forename: Zimri S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Yaseen
authors.forename: Igor I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Galynker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012886:Skull; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult