Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume 86, Issue 1 , Pages 91-94, 5 January 2007

One session of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the right prefrontal cortex transiently reduces cocaine craving

  • Joan Albert Camprodon

      Affiliations

    • Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, KS 452, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    • ,
  • José Martínez-Raga

      Affiliations

    • Instituto de Drogas y Conductas Adictivas (IDYCA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera–CEU, Unidad de Conductas Adictivas Area 11, Agencia Valenciana de Salud, Spain
    • ,
  • Miguel Alonso-Alonso

      Affiliations

    • Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, KS 452, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    • ,
  • Mei-Chiung Shih

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health and Clinical Research Program, Children's Hospital Boston, 333 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
    • ,
  • Alvaro Pascual-Leone

      Affiliations

    • Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, KS 452, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 617 667 0203; fax: +1 617 975 5322.

Received 26 March 2006; received in revised form 2 June 2006; accepted 7 June 2006.

Abstract 

Background

Cocaine dependence is a public health problem affecting 2 million individuals in USA. Craving is a predictor of subsequent cocaine use and is related to changes in brain activity in networks involving the prefrontal cortex.

Methods

We investigated the efficacy of one session of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to reduce craving in cocaine addicted subjects. Six patients underwent two sessions of 10Hz rTMS over left or right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Before, immediately after and 4h after rTMS we measured craving using visual analogue scales.

Results

Right, but not left, DLPFC stimulation significantly reduced craving over time (F(2,10)=11.07, p=0.0029). The reduction was 19% (13.4–24.6%) from baseline and disappeared after 4h. The interaction of time by site of stimulation for craving was also significant (F(2,25)=6.13, p=0.0068).

Conclusion

One session of 10Hz rTMS over right, but not left, DLPFC transiently reduces craving in cocaine dependent individuals. These results highlight the potential of non-invasive neuromodulation as a therapeutic tool for cocaine addiction.

Keywords: Cocaine, Addiction, Craving, Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)

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PII: S0376-8716(06)00222-5

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.06.002

Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume 86, Issue 1 , Pages 91-94, 5 January 2007

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