About this trial
The goal of this interventional study is to learn if continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) applied over the left frontopolar cortex can reduce psychological, physiological, and neurobiological markers of alcohol craving in patients with alcohol dependence (AD).
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does cTBS over the left frontopolar cortex reduce psychological and physiological measures of alcohol craving in individuals with AD? * Are baseline structural and functional brain connectivity patterns associated with individual differences in cTBS-induced changes in craving?
The participants will:
* Receive cTBS over the left frontopolar cortex using an accelerated protocol comprising 15 TMS-sessions on five consecutive days * Undergo psychological and physiological assessments of alcohol craving before and after the TMS intervention * Complete magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions to assess baseline brain structural and functional connectivity
This study aims to advance the understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying craving in AD and the identification of potential biomarkers for predicting psychological and physiological craving reductions.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
adults aged 18-65
ICD-10 diagnosis of alcohol dependence
Ability to give consent
Sinus rhythm in ECG
Disqualifiers
Current psychotic symptoms in patients with psychotic disorders (F20, F23, F10.5)
Contraindication against TMS or MRI
Severe neurological disorders such as epilepsy, stroke, neuroinflammatory disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis). A history of seizures only in the context of alcohol withdrawal does not represent a contraindication, unless the seizure happened in the last 3 weeks before study inclusion.
Acute withdrawal symptoms (CIWA-Ar > 5)
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)