rTMS as Add on Treatment for Substance Use Disorders

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Opioid Use, Alcohol Use Disorder

In brief

This pilot study is designed to test feasibility and superiority of rTMS types and target locations for the optimal rTMS intervention for individuals seeking treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) or Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The critical questions this study seeks to answer are: which rTMS type applied to l-dlPFC in OUD participants will induce the greatest reduction of opioid use post-treatment? Is inhibitory rTMS applied to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) more effective than excitatory rTMS applied to l-dlPFC at reducing alcohol use post treatment in AUD participants?

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06963476

Run by

Yale University

People needed

80

Starts

2025-05-12

Expected to finish

2026-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-06-29

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Be able to give valid informed consent in English.
• Absence of cognitive impairment: IQ equivalent of ≥ 70 on the WRAT.
• Receiving treatment for either AUD or OUD

You may not qualify if…

• History of any neurological disorder that would increase seizure risk from rTMS such as stroke, brain lesions, previous neurosurgery, any history of seizure or fainting episode of unknown cause, or head trauma resulting in loss of consciousness, lasting over 30 minutes or with sequela lasting longer than one month.
• Current meeting withdrawal criteria for alcohol: AUD participants will not meet for clinically significant alcohol withdrawal: Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) ≤ 5.
• First-degree family history of epilepsy or multiple sclerosis.
• Cardiac pacemakers, neural stimulators, implantable defibrillator, implanted medication pumps or sensors, intracardiac lines, or acute, unstable cardiac disease, with intracranial implants (e.g. aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object in the body that precludes rTMS administration.
• Current use of anti- or pro-convulsive action.
• Use of benzodiazepines in the last 48 hours prior to rTMS. Benzodiazepines are used during alcohol withdrawal management but then are discontinued prior to recruitment into the study. Therefore, rTMS eligible participants will not continue taking benzodiazepines.
• Lifetime history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mania.
• History of myocardial infarction, angina, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, stroke, or transient ischemic attack.
• Pregnant or lactating women.
• TMS contraindications.
• Treatment center discharge date does not allow for scheduling of all 5 rTMS days

Where it is running

• Hartford Healthcare — Hartford, Connecticut, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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