Measuring the Effects of Neurostimulation on Risky and Ambiguous Decision-Making Capacity in People With and Without Substance Use Disorder

Paused · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Opioid Use Disorder, Healthy Volunteers

In brief

Background: The purpose of this study is to understand how a type of brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), may help those who use opioids such as heroin or methadone. TMS uses brief magnetic pulses to affect brain activity, and is approved by the FDA to treat some mental health problems and substance use. We will evaluate how TMS may help make it easier to make certain kinds of decisions that could help one manage their opioid use. Our findings may provide support for the use of brain stimulation as a treatment to reduce opioid use. Objective: To understand how TMS affects brain activity associated with decision making in people who do and do not use opioids. Eligibility: People aged 18 to 60 years with an OUD. Healthy volunteers are also needed. Design: Participants will have up to 3 clinic visits over 1 to 3 months. All participants will be screened to check if they are eligible to take part in this study. This study is completed in two parts. All eligible participants will complete the first part of the study. In the first part, you will receive one baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan so we can take pictures of your brain while you complete computer tasks in the scanner. In these tasks, you will be asked to identify colors of words, view different images and play a game in which you can win money. If you can safely receive TMS, you will be invited to complete the second part of the study. In this part of the study, you will receive TMS and MRI over 2 sessions. For TMS, a coil will be placed on your head and a short electrical current will pass through the coil to create a magnetic pulse that stimulates your brain. You will also repeat the MRI scan and computer tasks. During one of the TMS visits you will receive active or real TMS. In the other, you will receive sham or placebo TMS, which feels like real TMS but does not affect the brain. You will receive both types of TMS. In all sessions, your urine and breath will be tested for drugs and alcohol, and you will complete questionnaires about mood and health.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06577454

Run by

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

People needed

2

Starts

2026-08-13

Expected to finish

2027-08-06

Last updated by the study team

2026-08-10

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• Controls:
• Participants cannot meet DSM-5 criteria for current substance use disorders other than nicotine and marijuana and cannot meet criteria for current moderate or severe alcohol use disorder.
• All participants:
• Participants cannot meet DSM-5 criteria for lifetime and/or current psychotic disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder.
• Participants cannot have a history of major head trauma resulting in cognitive impairment, seizure, or other neurological disorders.
• Participants cannot have any history of significant neurological disorders, including seizures, epilepsy, or cognitive impairment which may impact MRI metrics. MAI will use discretion in evaluating the impact of minor events or history reported.
• Participants cannot be pregnant.
• Participants with Major Depressive Disorder (per DSM-V criteria) must be stable on medication(s) for 3 months.
• Subjects with suicidal ideation where outpatient treatment is determined unsafe.
• Subjects that cannot speak English. Justification: To include non-English speakers, we would have to translate the consent and other study documents and hire and train bilingual staff, which would require resources that we do not have and could not justify, given the small sample size for each experiment. Additionally, the data integrity of some of the cognitive tasks and standardized questionnaires used in this study would be compromised as they have only been validated in English. Most importantly, ongoing communication regarding safety procedures is necessary when participants are undergoing MRI procedures. The inability to effectively communicate MRI safety procedures in a language other than English could compromise the safety of non-English speaking participants.
• Any contraindications to MRI.
• For subjects continuing to the TMS portion of the protocol, contraindications for TMS.

Where it is running

• National Institute on Drug Abuse — Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.