Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Mental Health Addiction

High-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces craving for cocaine

by Vladimir Hedrih
February 29, 2024
in Addiction
(Photo credit: OpenAI's DALL·E)

(Photo credit: OpenAI's DALL·E)

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Don't miss out! Follow PsyPost on Bluesky!

A systematic review of experiments examining the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in treating cocaine addiction revealed that the most effective results were achieved in studies utilizing high-frequency pulses (at least 5 Hz) targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain. Individuals undergoing this treatment reported significantly reduced cravings for cocaine and exhibited less impulsivity in response to extreme negative emotions. The findings were published in the journal Psychiatry Research.

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant, native to South America. Although classified as an illicit drug practically everywhere, many use it recreationally for its euphoric and energizing effects. The use of this drug leads to increased alertness, feelings of extreme happiness, and a sense of increased energy. Cocaine can be snorted, smoked, or injected. However, its effects are short-lived, leading to a cycle of repeated use to maintain the desired high. This, in time, leads to cocaine addiction.

Cocaine addiction, or cocaine use disorder, is a chronic, relapsing condition marked by an uncontrollable desire to consume cocaine despite its detrimental effects. It arises from alterations in the brain’s reward system, resulting in intense cravings and compulsive drug-seeking behavior. The addiction can have severe physical, psychological, and social repercussions, including cardiovascular issues, mental health disorders, relationship problems, and financial and legal difficulties.

Traditional treatments for cocaine addiction involve a blend of behavioral therapies, support groups, and medications to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings. However, these treatments often fall short of being fully effective, driving researchers to explore new treatment avenues.

One of the promising new methods to treat cocaine addiction is transcranial magnetic stimulation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive technique that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. It has become prominent as a way to treat depression, but multiple studies evaluated its potential for treating cocaine addiction as well.

Study author Andrea Amerio and her colleagues conducted a systematic review of these studies with the goal of evaluating their results i.e., making an assessment of how effective magnetic transcranial stimulation is in treating cocaine addiction based on their findings.

These authors conducted a search of the most popular electronic databases of scientific articles using various combinations of terms related to cocaine use, craving, dependence, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. They looked for articles published by the end of November 2022. The review focused on studies involving adults up to 65 years old diagnosed with cocaine use disorder, requiring at least two treatment groups and a comparison of rTMS efficacy against traditional treatments or a sham.

This search yielded 92 articles, but only 8 met the inclusion criteria after a manual review. All of these studies had two groups of participants. One group was undergoing transcranial magnetic stimulation, while the other was subjected to a sham treatment. A sham treatment typically means that participants were either made to believe that they were receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation when they were not or that participants in neither group knew whether the magnetic transcranial stimulation equipment used on them was actually turned on or not.

The studies varied in their stimulation targets within the prefrontal cortex of the brain, employing different frequencies of magnetic pulses. Some stimulated both sides of the prefrontal cortex, while others focused on the middle part (medial prefrontal cortex) or the upper part (dorsolateral). They used different frequencies of magnetic pulses.

The findings indicated that treatments utilizing at least 5 Hz, administered over multiple sessions and targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, were most effective. These treatments, employing repetitive pulses at a regular frequency, were more effective than those using continuous theta burst stimulation patterns, which mimic the brain’s natural theta rhythm.

Participants in groups subjected to these treatments tended to show a significant decrease in craving for cocaine compared to groups treated with low-frequencies of pulses and those exposed to sham treatments. These treatments also seemed to produce a considerable amelioration in participants’ tendency to act rashly under extreme negative emotions compared to control groups.

“Although still scant and heterogeneous, the strongest evidence so far on the use of rTMS [repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation] on individuals with CUD [cocaine use disorder] support the high-frequency stimulation over the left DLPFC [dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region of the brain] as a potential treatment of cocaine craving and impulsivity. Overall, rTMS has proven to be well tolerated and there were no significant differences in adverse events across the active and sham groups,” the study authors concluded.

The study systematizes the scientific knowledge on the effects of transcranial stimulation on cocaine addiction symptoms. However, it should be noted that the findings are based on the results of just a handful of studies, some of which reported no effects of the treatment.

The paper “Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on cocaine addiction: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials” was authored by A. Amerio, C. Baccino, G.S. Breda, D. Cortesi, V. Spiezio, L. Magnani, D. De Berardis, B. Conio, A. Costanza, G. De Paola, G. Rocca, G. Arduino, A. Aguglia, M. Amore, and G. Serafini.

RELATED

Psychedelic experiences linked to reduced cannabis use and greater psychological flexibility
Addiction

Psychedelic experiences linked to reduced cannabis use and greater psychological flexibility

October 17, 2025
Secure friendships may protect single men from shame and depression linked to porn use
Hypersexuality

Secure friendships may protect single men from shame and depression linked to porn use

October 15, 2025
Cannabidiol may ease Alzheimer’s-related brain inflammation and improve cognition
Addiction

Lower IQ in youth predicts higher alcoholism risk in adulthood

October 14, 2025
Alcohol use disorder: Novel procedure identifies individual differences in coping strategies
Addiction

Semaglutide shows potential to curb cocaine addiction behaviors

October 1, 2025
New research sheds light on how men and women differ in concerns about sexual addiction
Hypersexuality

New study finds two-way connection between rumination and problematic pornography use

September 27, 2025
Six distinct biotypes of depression identified by scientists
Addiction

Scientists pinpoint brain region that locks in addiction by learning to escape withdrawal

September 16, 2025
The way you blink reveals how music is shaping your attention, new study finds
Addiction

Jail-based opioid addiction treatment saves lives and reduces reincarceration

September 16, 2025
Does cannabidiol reduce worry severity or anxiety symptoms? New placebo-controlled study says no
Addiction

Cannabidiol shows no immediate effect on brain or behavior in young people with alcohol use disorder, study finds

September 13, 2025

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

This strange phenomenon could unlock the secrets of the mind

An invisible threat to newborns’ brains may be hiding in the air we breathe

Psychiatrists detail bizarre case of incubus syndrome triggered by alcohol withdrawal

Women with larger breasts tend to report higher self-esteem, study finds

Adolescents exposed to porn show higher rates of risky behavior and traditional gender views

Neuroscientists discover a repeating rhythm that guides brain network activity

New study reveals how the brain learns to adapt to harmless threats

Do pets really make us happier? The science is complicated

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy