A cap that treats depression? Check the science before getting excited

When scientific breakthroughs are reported, no matter how exciting, journalists and readers alike need to cut through the hype and look at the evidence

Yesterday, an article in the Entrepreneurs section of the Guardian purported to reveal a "cloth cap that could help treat depression". This claim has caused some alarm in the neuroscience and mental health fields, so it's important to look a little more closely at what the manufacturers are actually claiming.

The piece in question concerns a product from Neuroelectrics: a soft helmet containing electrodes and sensors. According to the company's website, it can be used to monitor brain activity (electroencephalography, or EEG), or administer light electrical currents to different areas of the brain in order to treat certain neurological and psychiatric conditions (known as transcranial direct current stimulation or tDCS).