NCT03464838

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Gambling Disorder

The Role of Neuromodulation for Cognitive Processing and Behavioural Inhibition in Gambling Disorder

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 32 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of East London · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Gambling disorder is associated to high impulsivity and excessive risk-taking behaviour. These behavioural characteristics related to addiction are linked to cognitive processes in specific brain areas located in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). With the aim of studying the role of PFC in gambling disorder, the investigators employ transcranial current direct stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that applies a very weak electrical current to the superficial areas of the brain. The clinical phase of the research consists on studying the effects of tDCS in combination with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in patients that attend the United Kingdom (UK) National Problem Gambling Clinic. The main objective of the project is to investigate whether the combination of tDCS and CBT can help to decrease impulsivity and risk-taking behaviour and therefore improve the treatment for gambling disorder.

Detailed description

The investigators aim to have a total of 32 participants diagnosed with gambling disorder with the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). There will be 16 participants per group having two different groups (real stimulation and sham). Real stimulation involves the application of tDCS stimulation and sham condition is used as a control (similar to a placebo). Participants will attend 8 weekly sessions where they receive tDCS stimulation for 20 minutes, while complete CANTAB cognitive tasks that measure cognitive processes such us control inhibition and risk-taking behaviour. Electroencephalography (EEG) activity will be measured before and after tDCS. Participants will also complete cognitive questionnaires (Pathological Gambling adapted Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (PG-YBOCS), Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for gambling cravings.

Conditions

• Pathological Gambling

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)	Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a form of noninvasive brain stimulation that applies a very low electrical current to the scalp. tDCS will be applied with intensity of 1.8 milliamps in real stimulation condition and 0 milliamps in sham condition, during 20 minutes, using a high density (HD) tDCS montage over the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC). Electroencephalography (EEG) resting state activity will be measured before and after tDCS.
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)	Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the current treatment available for disordered gamblers at the UK National Problem Gambling Clinic. During the therapy sessions patients acquire learning strategies, cognitive and motivational elements, and develop personal skills to help them improve the understanding of their problems.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-03-06
• Primary completion: 2020-04-30
• Completion: 2020-09-01
• First posted: 2018-03-14
• Last updated: 2019-04-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom