Effects of neurofeedback on Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)

Neurofeedback for Cannabis Use Disorder: a pilot study on clinical effects and possible relationship with brain dopamine function

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN25526593

Enrollment

Registered

2017-12-01

Start date

2017-08-17

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2018-01-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cannabis use disorder Mental and Behavioural Disorders Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids

Interventions

This is an pilot, randomized, parallel-group, open controlled study that aims to compare the effects of EEG-NFB as an additive intervention to conventional treatments (treatments as usual: TAU), on le

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. 34 patients with DSM-5 Diagnosis of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) 2. 17 sex and age-matched healthy controls 3. Aged between 18 and 50 years inclusive 4. Informed consent 5. Available to complete the study 6. Negative serum pregnancy test at screening (for women of childbearing potential)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Psychiatric disorder (other than CUD in CUD patients) 2. Neurological disorder 3. Significant medical condition such as cancer, liver disease, hepatic impairment, renal disease, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis, pheochromocytoma, or glaucoma 4. Current treatment with antipsychotic or benzodiazepine or monoamine oxidase inhibitor 5. Metal implant 6. Participation in a research/clinical study involving radiation exposure in the past 12 months 7. Pregnancy 8. Breastfeeding 9. Lack of safe contraception

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
1. Cannabis use, measured using the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) 2. DA synthesis capacity and storage, measured using [18F]-FDOPA Ki uptake values (6-fluoro-L-DOPA (or Fluorodopa) Measured at baseline (including PET scan), within one week of the two months treatment (including PET scan) and at two months follow-up (excluding PET scan)	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Time to smoke 1 gram of cannabis 2. Total scores on the Craving Experience Questionnaire and on the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale 3. Theta/alpha power EEG measure 4. Stop-signal reaction time in the Stop Signal Task 5. Equivalence point in the Delay-Discounting Task 6. Average number of pumps delivered in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task Measured at baseline (including PET scan), within one week of the two months treatment (including PET scan) and at two months follow-up (excluding PET scan)	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Time to smoke 1 gram of cannabis 2. Total scores on the Craving Experience Questionnaire and on the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale 3. Theta/alpha power EEG measure 4. Stop-signal reaction time in the Stop Signal Task 5. Equivalence point in the Delay-Discounting Task 6. Average number of pumps delivered in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task Measured at baseline (including PET scan), within one week of the two months treatment (including PET scan) and at two months follow-up (excluding PET scan)

—

Countries

Switzerland

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026