SAEDNEWS: The developers of a device that delivers small electrical waves to the brain claim this technology as a revolutionary treatment for mental health, but some remain skeptical.
According to SaedNews, the company Flow claims it can help most people recover from depression. This Swedish company made headlines last year by introducing a device that offers "innovative brain stimulation" that patients can use at home.
Flow users receive a headset that sends small electrical waves to a brain area known as the "dorsolateral prefrontal cortex." This region is linked to decision-making, motivation, planning, and working memory—functions that are impaired in depression. According to psychiatrist Alex O'Neill, who specializes in neuromodulatory treatments for depression, the idea stems from research showing that depression symptoms are associated with weak neural connections on one side of the brain. O'Neill points to studies using brain imaging with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which revealed different glucose utilization patterns in the brains of depressed versus non-depressed individuals.
He states: "In a non-depressed brain, glucose usage is equal on both sides. But in a depressed brain, it seems the left side has no activity, while the right side is often overactive. So the idea arose that depression might be related to neural disconnection on the left side of the brain, which we might find a solution for."
This concept led to the development of a method called repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), which uses magnetic fields to stimulate the left side of the brain and inhibit the right side simultaneously. In the United States, rTMS devices and protocols have received necessary approvals for treating depression and have shown positive results in clinical trials with various degrees of depression.
While rTMS is now widely used in different countries, its use remains limited in the UK due to the high costs of acquiring devices and establishing specialized treatment centers.
Flow technology is an example of a similar technology called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), which seeks to achieve the same effects as rTMS using low-power electrical currents instead of magnetic fields. As this method is safer, patients can self-administer it at home, making it much more cost-effective.
In October 2024, a phase 2 clinical trial involving 174 patients with depression showed clear improvement results. In the published results, 45% of patients who received active treatment with the Flow device showed improvement within 10 weeks, whereas only 22% of those who received the inactive, placebo version of the device showed improvement.
Nord and other independent mental health researchers say some key questions remain.
Across social media and online communities, many individuals report that this treatment has helped improve their symptoms. Frank Paderberg, a professor of psychiatry and psychotherapy at LMU Munich University Hospital, says that while these individual reports should not be ignored, assessing a technology based on personal narratives is challenging.
Paderberg and Nord explain that Flow's clinical trial had positive results, but other independent tDCS trials for depression showed minimal effects. When Paderberg led a six-week trial of tDCS treatment in 2023, the results showed no significant reduction in depression symptoms between active and inactive tDCS devices. tDCS can be useful as an adjunct treatment to psychotherapy or medication, but for now, it’s best to extend it experimentally and temporarily so researchers can determine which depressed patients benefit the most from this treatment.
