A New Headset to Help With Depression Is Now Available in the US

An at-home wearable for the treatment of depression is now available by prescription in the US.

With roughly one in six American adults taking an antidepressant medication, Swedish firm Flow Neuroscience is positioning its device as an alternative to traditional drugs. But at the current four-figure price tag, it might take a while for the futuristic-looking headset to catch on with patients.

Worn on the forehead for 30 minutes a day and operated with an app, the device provides low-intensity electrical stimulation to the left frontal lobe of the brain, an area involved in regulating mood and emotions. People with depression tend to have lower activity and weaker neural connections in that part of the brain.

Flow received approval from the Food and Drug Administration last December, and its device is among a new breed of wearables that monitor, record from, or stimulate the brain. California-based Cognixion,...

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