NCT07227545

High Intensity Alternating Current Stimulation as a Neuromodulation Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Pilot Study

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 18 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Shanghai Mental Health Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to explore the efficacy of high intensity transcranial alternating current stimulation on individuals with alcohol use disorders. Utilizing a one-arm pilot study design, participants will undergo transcranial alternating current stimulation.

Detailed description

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is become a major social and public health problem in China. Craving for alcohol and compulsive drinking behavior are the main symptom of AUD. Previous studies have demonstrated the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and prefrontal-ventral striatum pathway. Studies have shown that abnormal phase synchronization and phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) induced the impairment of cognition, and High-Intensity transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (HI-tACS) could improve executive-control function thus by adjusting the abnormal synchronization. However, it has not been verified among AUD patients. The investigators assume that tACS could improve AUD patients' executive-control function by adjusting the synchronization patterns and enhancing the functional connectivity of the prefrontal-ventral striatum pathway. This study intends to test the effect of HI-tACS treatment. Three-month follow-up assessment will be conducted to test the changing of the craving and alcohol use behavior. This study will provide a practical and theoretical basis for developing a novel treatment for AUD.

Conditions

• Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	HI-tACS	A 40-minute 15mA transcranial alternating current stimulus intervention with 77.5 Hz of real stimulus is conducted twice a day (at least 3 hours apart) for a total of 10 days in the intervention group of AUD.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-01
• Primary completion: 2026-11-30
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2025-11-12
• Last updated: 2025-11-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study