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Evaluation of the Effect of tDCS on Cannabis Craving

Evaluation of the Effect of tDCS on Cannabis Craving: Multicentre Randomized, Double-blind Study Versus Placebo

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04389528
Acronym
TCC
Enrollment
78
Registered
2020-05-15
Start date
2018-09-17
Completion date
2021-12-17
Last updated
2020-05-15

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

Conditions

Addiction to Cannabis

Brief summary

Cannabis is the most frequently consumed drug in France and its use continues to increase. Over the 18-64 age group as a whole, experimentation with cannabis at least once in a lifetime increased from 33% in 2010 to 42% in 2014, confirming the upward trend observed since the 1990. Cannabis, like all drugs, disrupts the reward circuit whose neurons originate in the ventral tegmental area and project into the mesolimbic and cortical structures. Acute cannabis use is thought to increase mesolimbic dopamine by affecting the Gabaergic or Glutamatergic system. Chronic cannabis use usurps the reward system and leads to changes in the mesolimbic circuit (nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex), inducing increased craving, with persistent craving for the substance and vulnerability to relapse. Cognitively, addiction is associated with increased impulsivity, with a propensity to take risks leading to impaired decision-making. There is currently no validated drug treatment for cannabis addiction. Non-invasive brain stimulation could be an interesting therapeutic alternative.

Interventions

OTHERNeuromodulation by tDCS

The tDCS is a device for modulating cortical excitability. It consists of passing a low intensity direct electrical current over the scalp via two electrodes: an anode and a cathode soaked in a saline solution. Although there is a short-circuit effect through the scalp, a significant amount of electrical current enters the brain and changes the transmembrane potential.

Sponsors

Januel
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Intervention model description

double-blind randomized study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 63 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. Men or women between 18 and 65 years of age 2. Right-Handers 3. Diagnosis: Cannabis Use Disorder (according to DSM 5 criteria) 4. Patient with no other drug or psychotherapeutic treatment for cannabis addiction (naive patients) 5. Reported use of cannabis more than three times a week in the past three years 6. Signing consent to participate in research

Exclusion criteria

1. Pregnancy or lack of effective contraception 2. Patients with severe somatic disease 3. Other addictions of moderate to severe intensity according to DSM 5 criteria (excluding tobacco and coffee) 4. Patients undergoing antidepressant or neuroleptic or thyroid-regulating therapy. 5. Contraindications to tDCS (presence of an intracranial metal body, intracranial hypertension) 6. Topic that has already been stimulated by tDCS 7. Patients under reinforced guardianship or curatorship

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Evaluating the change from craving to cannabis. by an analog visual scale .Scores (0 to 10)3 months

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
The change in cannabis craving during an incentive to use task evaluated by analog visual scale scores (0 to 10)3 months
Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale) Scores (0 to 60)3 months
evaluation of the change in the number of joints consumed per day3 months
evaluation of the change in the number of cigarettes consumed per day3 months
The change to cannabis craving assessed by the Baseline Marijuana Craving Test at the end of treatment3 month
the Gambling Task's assessment of decreased risk-taking3 months
Young Mania Rating Scale Scores (0 to 60)3 months
Beck Depression Inventory Scores (0 to 39)3 months
Clinical Global Impression Severity of disease (0 to 7)3 months
assessment of the change in attention and inhibition skills as assessed by the Stroop test before and after a neurofeedback test3 months

Countries

France

Contacts

Primary ContactYoucef BENCHERIF
y.bencherif@epsve.fr0143093232
Backup ContactRusheenthira THAVASEELAN
r.thavaseelan@epsve.fr0143093232

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026