Primary outcome
deviation).Pre, Cor II, Cor
The ITT analysis showed a decrease in salivary cortisol concentration during the day, regardless of the trial group (tDCS and sham stimulation) or stimulation protocol time (baseline and W3), with a decrease of 7.92 nmol/L cortisol during the course of the day (95CI [− 10.73; − 5.12]; Characteristics of the participants’ experimental concentrations of cortisol.Values are expressed as mean (standard deviation).Pre, immediately before stimulation; post, immediately after stimulation; 2 h-post, 2 h after stimulation; Cor I, between 7:30 and 8:00 AM; Cor II, between 8:00 and 8:30 AM; Cor III, between 3:30 and 4:00 PM; Cor IV, between 9:30 and 10:00 PM.*Of the 47 patients included in the study, 40 completed the three-week treatment, and seven dropped out of the study before finishing the trial. Hence, data of 4 participants of the sham stimulation group and 3 of the tDCS are missing.**p-values are Bonferroni-corrected.Estimated marginal means of diurnal cortisol profile (nmol/L) for tDCS and sham stimulation groups. Cor I, between 7:30 and 8:00 AM; Cor II, between 8:00 and 8:30 AM; Cor III, between 3:30 and 4:00 PM; Cor IV, between 9:30 and 10:00 PM.In the PP analysis, we observed a decrease in salivary cortisol concentration during the day, with a decrease of 8.85 nmol/L cortisol during the course of the day (95CI [− 11.72; − 5.98]; 