About this trial
The investigators assume that High-intensity transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (HI-tACS) could improve gambling disorder patients' executive-control function by modulating abnormal neural activity, particularly gamma-band oscillations, which are closely associated with executive-control deficits. This study intends to validate the effect of HI-tACS treatment, which has been discovered in the previous pilot study. A three-month follow-up assessment will be conducted to test the changes in executive-control function and its underlying mechanism.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Aged 18-60, male or female, with 9 or more years of education, and able to complete questionnaire evaluation and behavioral tests;
Meet DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders,DSM) diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder;
Have gambled for at least one year (at least once a week);
Normal vision and hearing, or within the normal range after correction;
Disqualifiers
Have severe cognitive impairment, such as a history of head trauma, -cerebrovascular disease, epilepsy, etc.;
Have used drugs promoting cognitive function in the last 6 months;
Have impaired intelligence (Intelligence Quotient<70);
Abuse or dependence of psychoactive substances (except nicotine) in the last 5 years.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- HI-tACS
- Sham stimulation