NCT02146014

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cigarette Addiction

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Prefrontal Cortex on Cigarette Smoking

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Brasilia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Tobacco addiction is treatable with behavioral and pharmacological means, but results are often less than optimal. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a new non-invasive technique that applies weak electrical currents through the skull and has been shown to alter the excitability of certain brain areas. It is currently being tried in disorders where there is abnormal brain excitability, such as epilepsy and depression. A few studies have also been able to diminish drug craving, suggesting that brain excitability might also be altered in drug addiction. This study aims at non-invasively changing the excitability of certain brain areas-a procedure called neuromodulation- in order to help smokers quit smoking more easily.

Conditions

• Addiction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Placebo	Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a procedure that uses a small battery-driven unit to deliver weak electrical currents (1-2 mA) through the intact scalp. The procedure is painless and is thought to modulate the excitability of the underlying cerebral tissue for hours or days after sessions. In the placebo group the current will be off.
DEVICE	Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation	Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a procedure that uses a small battery-driven unit to deliver weak electrical currents (1-2 mA) through the intact scalp. The procedure is painless and is thought to modulate the excitability of the underlying cerebral tissue for hours or days after sessions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-05-01
• Primary completion: 2015-12-01
• Completion: 2015-12-01
• First posted: 2014-05-23
• Last updated: 2016-06-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil