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

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.

NCT Number	NCT06959342
Lead Sponsor	Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Collaborators: Wellcome Leap Inc.
Conditions	Alcohol Use Disorder, Substance Use Disorders
Enrollment	162 participants
Start Date	2024-09-23
Primary Completion	2027-03-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-09-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-06-04