MedTrace Logo

Modification of Inhibitory Control and Craving Through Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) as an Add-On Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

NCT06959342 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 162

Last updated 2025-06-04

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The aim of this project is to investigate the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to reduce cognitive deficits and substance craving in individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), with a focus on alcohol use disorder (AUD). Patients of any gender between the ages of 18 and 65 are examined who are in our inpatient and day clinic settings for a standard detoxification treatment program. As there are conflicting findings regarding the effective settings for tDCS as an adjunctive treatment in SUD (e.g., effects on inhibitory control seem to be sensitive to current direction), the aim is to examine and compare three different active tDCS conditions, a sham tDCS condition (placebo), inhibition training, and a control group of patients receiving only standard detoxification treatment. The aim is to identify the optimal electrode placement and current direction to positively influence both inhibitory control and craving, leading to improved treatment outcomes such as longer abstinence periods or reduced substance use after relapse.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

tDCS sessions on five consecutive days for 20 minutes.

BEHAVIORAL

Inhibition Training

Computerized Training of inhibitory control (Go-/No-Go task with pictures of preferred alcohol) on five consecutive days.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Wellcome Leap Inc.

    collaborator INDUSTRY

  • Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-09-23
Primary Completion
2027-03-31
Completion
2027-09-30

Countries

  • Germany

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06959342 on ClinicalTrials.gov