Bilateral Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Cocaine Intake: A Pilot Study

Background Chronic cocaine consumption is associated with a decrease in mesolimbic dopamine transmission that maintains drug intake. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is gaining reliability, a useful therapeutic tool in drug addiction, since it can modulate cortico-limbic activity resulting in reduction of drug craving. Aims In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of bilateral TMS of prefrontal cortex (PFC) in reducing cocaine intake, in a sample of treatment-seeking patients with current cocaine use disorder (DSM-V). Methods Ten cocaine addicts (DSM-V) were randomly assigned to the active or sham stimulation protocol in a double-blind experimental design. Twelve …

Alterations in the Emotional Regulation Process in Gambling Addiction: The Role of Anger and Alexithymia

This study aims at the assessment of alexithymia and anger levels in 100 treatment-seeking pathological gamblers compared with controls, who were matched for age, gender and education. Furthermore a positive correlation between alexithymia, anger and severity of gambling disorder and a relationship between gambling behaviour and anger after controlling for alexithymia, are investigated. Finally the role that gender plays in anger in pathological gamblers was also evaluated. Psychological assessment includes the South Oaks Gambling Screen, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 and the twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Statistical analysis of the results shows a higher level of anger …

'Magnetic Stimulation in the treatment of Addiction'

D-TMS IN COCAINE ADDICTION: preliminary findings

Cocaine-related disorders are currently among the most devastating mental disease as they leads to profound disturbances in an individual’s behaviour resulting in tremendous economic, social, and moral costs. Imaging studies in human have shown a reduction of dopamine (DA) receptors accompanied by a lesser release of endogenous DA in the ventral striatum (AVT) of cocaine subjects thereby resulting in a ‘dopamine-impoverished’ brain[1-2]. This perturbations lead to neuroadpatations in several other circuits which are related to motivation, inhibitory control, and memory which finally determ compulsive-impulsive self drug administration[3]. The lasting reduction in physiological activity of t…

TRANSCRANICAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION IN COCAINE ADDICTION:PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Drug addiction is a brain disease which leads to profound disturbances in an individual’s behaviour. In spite of the progress made in the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying addiction, expectations from a therapeutic point of view have not been satisfying. Given the modest efficacy of therapeutic tools available, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) seems to be a promising “non-pharmacologic” aid in various neuropathologies including addiction which is characterized by a decrease of dopaminergic activity (DA). Thus, ‘restoring’ pre-pathology DA activity may yield clinical benefits in addicts. In particular, it has been reported that TMS reduces the craving for coca…