NCT02212405

Does the Insula Control Smoking-Induced Dopamine Release? A TMS/[11C]-PHNO Study in Humans.

Does the Insula Control Smoking-Induced Dopamine Release? A TMS/[11C]-PHNO Study in Humans (Part II).

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 8 (actual)
• Sponsor: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 19 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Findings from this study may demonstrate how the insula contributes to reward pathways involved in addiction. There are three main hypotheses for this trial. The first is that inhibiting the insula using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will not cause noticeable changes of dopamine release in the striatum. The second is that stimulating the insula with TMS will increase dopamine release in the striatum, and will be visualized on PET imaging as decreased radiotracer binding. The third hypothesis is that the participants will not experience major side effects from TMS on the insula.

Detailed description

This project will take advantage of the recently developed Deep rTMS coil to target the insular cortex. Few studies have examined the possibility of using repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for nicotine addiction and none so far have explored the use of a coil that specifically targets the insular region. The objective of this study is to test whether low and high-frequency rTMS of the insula modulates striatal dopamine (DA) release in healthy humans. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with \[11C\]-(+)-PHNO, a radiotracer which is very sensitive to fluctuations in DA transmission in the human brain, will be used to assess the impact of rTMS on dopamine levels. This project will yield the first data in humans linking the insula to the DA system in vivo. These findings could lead to the identification of optimal parameters for Deep rTMS to use secondarily in a proof of principle clinical study in smokers.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation	Each participant will participate in all three arms to receive sham, 1hz and 10hz rTMS as well as PET imaging.
OTHER	repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sham	The sham coil is built in the same helmet of the active coil. The sham coil is has a circular shape and placed perpendicular to the scalp within the same helmet. This coil produces a similar sound and scalp sensation as the real coil.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-07-01
• Primary completion: 2015-12-01
• Completion: 2015-12-01
• First posted: 2014-08-08
• Last updated: 2016-09-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada