Repeated Low-frequency Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Reduces Cue-induced Craving: a Randomized, Prospective, Double-blind, Sham-controlled, Cross-over Study (STIMJEU)

Nantes University Hospital (NUH)

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Pathological Gambling

Treatments: Device: rTMS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01560351

BRD/11/6-M

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of repeated low-frequency Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, combined with gambling cues, on gambling craving. Participants are pathological gamblers. A single real stimulation and a single shame stimulation are administered in a random order for each participant (cross-over study).

Enrollment: 31 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Pathological gambler (DSM-IV criteria)
• Seeking treatment at the University Hospital of Nantes
• Right-handed
• 18-65 years old
• Increase in the intensity (at least 50%) of the gambling craving with gambling cues

Non-inclusion criteria:

• pregnant woman
• no effective contraception
• Substance use disorders (excluding nicotine)
• Benzodiazepine use
• Chronic neurological disease
• History of head injury
• History of neurosurgery
• Cochlear implant or other metal objects in the head
• History of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or repeated Transcranial
• Magnetic Stimulation
• Difficult to read or write French

Exclusion criteria

• Occurrence of side effects (like seizures)
• Psychoactive substance use 12 hours before the rTMS (excluding nicotine)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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31 participants in 2 patient groups

rTMS

Experimental group

Description:

Session of repeated low-frequency Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Treatment:

Device: rTMS

Placebo

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sessions of sham rTMS

Treatment:

Device: rTMS