MINDED: A feasibility study of mindfulness training transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in adults with overweight and obesity
Overview
Overview
We are looking at whether combining transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS), a safe and painless form of brain stimulation, with mindfulness training improves weight related eating habits.
Who can take part?
Adults aged 18-60, Overweight / Obese, Access a computer with a webcam
What would I need to do?
Be randomly allocated to receive 10 at home remotely supervised sessions of either real tDCS with mindfulness training, sham tDCS with mindfulness training or to wait 8-week waitlist. Complete 3 in person assessments involving research tasks and surveys.
As a token of thanks for your time and efforts, you will receive £50 for taking part
Are you interested in taking part in this study?
Planned end date
01 Dec 2025 09:54Conditions
Obesity,OverweightInclusion Criteria
-Male and female adults between 18 and 60 years of age, who are overweight or obese according to WHO criteria
(BMI>25 kg/m²).
- Right-handed.
- Must use and understand English as a language for everyday conversation.
-Access to a laptop or desktop computer with webcam and to able to attend baseline, post intervention and follow up
assessments in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (KCL).
Exclusion Criteria
-All known contraindications to tDCS (Brunoni, Nitsche et al. 2012)
-Pregnancy
-History of neurological disease and/or seizure
-Having any metallic implants anywhere in the head or body
-History of head or eye injury
-Significant health problems in the previous six months
-Lifetime diagnosis of substance dependence, psychosis, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder
-Other primary psychiatric disorder requiring treatment in its own right
-Taking psychotropic medication
-Adults consuming more than 14 units of alcohol per week who are unwilling to reduce their alcohol intake for the duration of the treatment.
-Current illicit drug use.
-Learning difficulties that would preclude safe tDCS self-administration and/or completion of questionnaire measures and neurocognitive tasks (e.g.; working memory and inhibitory control).
-Taking medication for weight loss
-Engaging in regular, current or past, mindfulness meditation or yoga practice (defined as > 20 minutes, two or more times per week during the past 2 months).
-Having atypical anorexia nervosa or purging once a week or more.