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Evaluation of the Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Low-frequency on Craving in Smoking Dependence

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Low-frequency rTMS on Craving in Smoking Dependence: Single-centre Randomized, Controlled Blinded Pilot Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02812810
Acronym
rTMS TABAC
Enrollment
39
Registered
2016-06-24
Start date
2011-09-01
Completion date
Unknown
Last updated
2026-02-06

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

Conditions

Addiction, Smoking Cessation

Brief summary

The fight against smoking is a public health priority. Without help, fewer than 5% of des smokers are abstinent at 12 months after smoking cessation. Despite well-managed attempts at smoking cessation with nicotine substitutes, the rate of success at 12 months in patients dependent on nicotine is only 18%. Moreover, other therapeutic strategies (acupuncture, hypnosis…) have not proved to be effective. The investigators propose a new therapeutic strategy for smoking cessation, which is based on associating nicotine substitutes (to reduce physical symptoms of weaning from nicotine) with rTMS at 1 Hz to the right DorsoLateral PreFrontal Cortex (DLPFC) for 2 weeks (to diminish craving for tobacco). The principal objective is to improve the success rate for smoking cessation attempts in patients who are highly dependent on nicotine, and who have failed using usual smoking cessation strategies.

Interventions

DEVICEactive rTMS
DEVICEsham rTMS

Sponsors

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult 18-65 years old * Wishing to stop smoking * Highly dependent on nicotine (score ≥ 7 on the Fagerström self-questionnaire) * History of at least 2 failed attempts to stop smoking despite recommended treatments (nicotine, vareniciline, bupropion)

Exclusion criteria

* Abstinence in the 3 previous months * Absence of effective contraception for women * Progressive chronic disease * Ongoing psychiatric disorders * Current addiction to other substances or cessation of less than one year * Current treatment with psychotropic agents * Epilepsy and other contra-indications for rTMS (pacemaker, metallic clips or other electronic implants, head trauma, intracranial hypertension). * Contra-indications for transdermal nicotine substitutes (recent myocardial infarction, unstable or worsening angina, Prinzmetal angina, severe heart rhythm disorders, recent stroke, skin disorders that could interfere with the use of transdermal treatments, hypersensitivity to one of the constituents). * Personnel working in the psychiatric and addictology unit of the CHU (conflict of interest)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Change from Baseline score of Tabacco Craving Questionnaire (TCQ)at Week 0, Week 1, Week 2, Week 6 and Week 12 after stimulation

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 7, 2026