Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the Insula for Treatment of Alcohol Addiction

NCT ID: NCT02643264

Last Updated: 2015-12-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

84 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-11-30

Study Completion Date

2017-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the insula on alcohol use and neural responses in alcohol-dependent patients.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the insula on alcohol use and neural responses in alcohol-dependent patients.

Study population: Treatment seeking alcohol dependent subjects (N=82), aged 18-65 years, who have first completed standard alcohol withdrawal treatment if needed.

Design: This is a double-blind, sham-controlled randomized study, comprising three phases. Participants will be hospitalized during the first two of these, and will be outpatients during the third. During Phase 1 the study (screening; up to 14 days), participants will undergo a set of baseline assessments; this phase will conclude with consent, inclusion and randomization. During Phase 2 (treatment; appr. 3 weeks, with at least the first week being hospitalized), participants will first undergo an MRI scan to collect resting state and structural data, and will then receive one of two treatments: Active (10Hz) rTMS; or sham stimulation, both targeting the insula bilaterally. rTMS sessions will be conducted five times per week, for 3 weeks, for a total of 15 sessions. Stimulation will be with an H-coil designed to reach deeper structures such as the insula. A second MRI scan will be obtained at the end of this phase to assess changes in resting state connectivity, and to evaluate insula activity in tasks known to activate this structure. In addition, a lumbar puncture will be carried out at the end of this phase to assess possible effects on central neurotransmitter and growth factor levels, as indexed in the cerebrospinal fluid. For Phase 3 (follow-up, lasting 12 weeks), patients will be followed as outpatients for 12 weeks, with clinic visits at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 post discharge; measures of alcohol use will be collected during this phase.

Outcome measures: The co-primary outcome measures will be heavy alcohol consumption during the follow-up phase, assessed using time-line follow-back methodology; and insula BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) responses during tasks known to induce insula activation. A number of secondary and exploratory measures will also be assessed, including objective biomarkers of alcohol consumption.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Alcohol Addiction

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

insula alcohol addiction transcranial magnetic stimulation

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

rTMS 10 Hz

Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS, 10 Hz) of the insula ,15 stimulation sessions (1 daily, 5 days / week).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

rTMS 10 Hz targeting the insula

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants will receive a total of 15 sessions of rTMS targeting the insula bilaterally, Stimulation will be delivered at an intensity of 120% of the motor threshold (MT), with a frequency of 10 Hz, delivered as 50 trains of 30 pulses delivered in each train of 3 seconds duration, with a 20 seconds inter-train interval, for a total of 1500 pulses delivered over app. 20 min. On the very first two sessions stimulations will be given at lower strength for adaptation, starting at 100% for the first and 110% for the second session

rTMS Sham

Sham Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS, Sham),15 stimulation sessions (1 daily, 5 days / week).

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham rTMS

Intervention Type OTHER

Sham stimulation with the same regimen as active treatment

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

rTMS 10 Hz targeting the insula

Participants will receive a total of 15 sessions of rTMS targeting the insula bilaterally, Stimulation will be delivered at an intensity of 120% of the motor threshold (MT), with a frequency of 10 Hz, delivered as 50 trains of 30 pulses delivered in each train of 3 seconds duration, with a 20 seconds inter-train interval, for a total of 1500 pulses delivered over app. 20 min. On the very first two sessions stimulations will be given at lower strength for adaptation, starting at 100% for the first and 110% for the second session

Intervention Type OTHER

Sham rTMS

Sham stimulation with the same regimen as active treatment

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 - 65
2. Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of alcohol dependence
3. Alcohol use in the past month
4. Right handed (self-report)
5. If female, negative urine pregnancy test
6. If female, must either agree to practice an effective birth control method; have a partner with a vasectomy; agree to abstinence from intercourse; be surgically sterile or postmenopausal for at least one year

Exclusion Criteria

1. Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
2. More than mild cognitive impairment, as determined by a score on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) \<24.
3. Current DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorder
4. Use in the past 4 weeks of any medication or illicit drug listed as being associated with "a strong potential hazard for application of rTMS due to their significant seizure threshold lowering potential" by the international consensus guidelines for delivery of TMS \[104\], as self-reported, or detected using urine toxicology screening
5. Any history of clinically significant neurological disorders, including organic brain disease, epilepsy, stroke, brain lesions, multiple sclerosis, previous neurosurgery or personal history of head trauma that resulted in loss of consciousness for \> 5 minutes and retrograde amnesia for \> 30 minutes (self-reported history).
6. Any history of seizures other than febrile childhood seizures (self-reported history)
7. Signs of increased intracranial pressure as determined by the structural MRI-scan
8. Clinically significant hearing impairment or tinnitus
9. Presence of ferromagnetic objects in the body that are contraindicated for MRI of the head (pacemakers or other implanted electrical devices, brain stimulators, some types of dental implants, aneurysm clips, metallic prostheses, permanent eyeliner, implanted delivery pump, or shrapnel fragments) or fear of enclosed spaces. Eligibility will be determined by the "MRI Safety Screening Questionnaire" (see Appendix 1) and verified, if necessary, by a radiology consultant.
10. Cannot recline comfortably flat on his/her back for up to 2 hours in the MRI scanner.
11. Any psychiatric, medical or social condition whether or not listed above, due to which, in the judgment of the investigators and after any consults if indicated, participation in the study is not in the best interest of the patient.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Linkoeping University

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Markus Heilig

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Markus A Heilig, MD PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Linkoeping University

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Linkoping University

Linköping, , Sweden

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Sweden

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Markus A Heilig, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +46 13286626

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Asa Axén, Nurse

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

LIU2015/130-31

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id