The Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Craving, Impulsivity and Cognitive Abilities in Stimulant Drug Users

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Islamic Azad University, Saveh Branch, Saveh, Iran.

2 Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Craving plays an important role in triggering relapse after treatment in stimulant drug users, maintaining their consumption of and dependence on substance. A new treatment technique to solve this problem is transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Therefore, this study has been conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of tDCS on craving, impulsivity and cognitive abilities in stimulant drug users. This experimental trial study was carried out on 30 subjects with substance use disorder referred to a medical center in Tehran, Iran, from January 8th, 2020 to November 14th of the same year. The patients were randomized into 2 groups: 1) an intervention group (n=15, 10 sessions, 20 minutes every other day‎) and 2) a control group (n=15, with no intervention). The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11, Desire for Drug Questionnaire and Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire were used. The MANCOVA (by SPSS software version 24) and P<0.05 considered for data analysis and as significant level respectively. The subjects of this study were 30 substance users (26 males (87%)), age mean ±SD 29±7.7). Both groups were the same according to the demographical and base line variables. After intervention, the changes in the variable of cravings (-14.96 vs -2.15, P<0.001), cognitive abilities (6.6 vs -2.57, P=0.014) and impulsiveness (-10.8 vs -0.34, P=0.034) between the two groups were significant. The results of the current study indicate that tDCS is an effective technique for reducing craving, impulsivity and for increasing cognitive abilities.

Keywords

References

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Mental Health: Research and Practice
Volume 1, Issue 1
July 2022
Pages 31-39

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 January 2022
  • Revise Date: 23 March 2022
  • Accept Date: 29 April 2022

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