Dr. Wong Man Lok Nichol has received the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) offered by the Health Bureau. The funding supports his research project on brain modulation in people with subthreshold depression.
The project, titled "Personalised transcranial direct current stimulation to reduce daily loneliness in people with subthreshold depression," seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of multi-session personalised transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in people with subthreshold depression. Although people with subthreshold depression have less severe symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, its prevalence rate in the general population is high. TDCS is a non-invasive brain modulation method that delivers a gentle electrical current to the brain through electrodes placed on the scalp. It is useful in modulating brain and biopsychosocial functions. Dr. Wong hopes that this project could help develop an effective tDCS protocol in enhancing social engagement and mood while reducing depressive symptoms in people with subthreshold depression.
The HMRF aims to support and advance health and medical research to improve health policies, population health, and healthcare practices. It supports health promotion projects that encourage healthier lifestyles by raising awareness, changing harmful behaviors, and creating environments that support good health.
