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Taking people in United StatesNo phase

rTMS for Craving in Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Key facts

Who runs it
Oregon Health and Science University
Where
Portland, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
50 people, planned
Started
7 Feb 2018
Expected to end
1 Sept 2027
Type of study
Interventional, 4 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Real Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • Sham Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • Methamphetamine visual cues
  • Neutral visual cues
Record updated
23 September 2026

Who can take part

Age
18 years to 65 years
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 14 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Subjects must use at least 0.5 g per day at least 5 days per week and have a minimum 12-month history of METH abuse
  • Subjects must meet DSM V diagnosis for methamphetamine use disorder
  • Subjects must have a minimum 4-week period of detoxification and a desire to stop using methamphetamine

Who cannot take part

  • No current abuse of drugs other than methamphetamine (except nicotine). Urine-screening tests for psychoactive drugs will be performed to corroborate the lack of drug use
  • Present or past history of neurological disorder
  • The present history of a DSM IV Axis I or DSM V primary psychiatric disease (apart from MUD and depressive symptoms defined as a Hamilton Depression Scale Score < 7 ("normal"))
  • Individuals meeting criteria for cannabis use disorder or alcohol use disorder
  • Medical illness that can affect brain function
  • Past or present history of cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure
  • Any history of epilepsy or a known history of seizure disorder
  • A history of metal in the head or chest area (except dental fillings or braces)
  • Current consumption of psychiatric medication
  • Any other medical, neurological or neurosurgical condition that would preclude the administration of repetitive transmagnetic stimulation
  • Scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale > 8, possibly indicating clinical depression

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 18 and 65 years old?

Where in United States

  • Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care SystemPortland, United StatesContact: Brandon J Cornejo, MD, PhDTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The primary aim of this project is to use a randomized single-blind sham-controlled study to investigate if high frequency repetitive transmagnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) can modulate cue-induced craving in adult methamphetamine (METH) users. The investigators hypothesize that HF-rTMS directed at left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) will result in a reduction in craving for METH compared to sham-controlled rTMS in adults with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) as evidenced by validated measures of METH craving. Neurobiologically, the investigators anticipate rTMS mediated stimulation of the DLPFC could result in inhibition of cue-induced craving through potential disruption of involved circuitry. The current project proposes that participants who are recently abstinent from METH will be randomized into four experimental groups to provide two rTMS conditions (real versus sham) and two picture cues conditions (METH versus neutral). The experiment will have an induction phase where each subject will receive 10 daily treatments within 2 weeks. Just before each rTMS/sham session participants will be shown visual cues (METH or neutral). Participants will then undergo a maintenance phase for an additional month with assessments to evaluate craving and relapse. Urine samples for urine drug screening (UDS) will be collected at screening day and on days 1, 5 and 10. Just before each rTMS/sham session participants will be shown visual cues (METH and neutral). VAS craving scores will be assessed before and after picture presentation and after the rTMS/sham session. Before the first and 10th treatment session, participants were evaluated by the the Stimulant Craving Questionnaire (STCQ) and the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) questionnaires. Participants will then undergo a maintenance phase for an additional month. During the first week of maintenance, three rTMS/sham sessions will be administered. During each of the following 3 weeks, one rTMS/sham session will be given per week. As with the induction phase, urine samples will be collected for screening and STCQ and the SDS questionnaires will be completed at each maintenance session. To evaluate the long-term effects of the rTMS treatment, the investigators plan on contacting participants 6 months after treatment termination for all subjects who completed the 10 treatment sessions. During that phone conversation, craving and relapse will again be assessed.

The 4 groups in the trial

  • Treatment rTMS + meth picturesTreatment being tested

    Participants in this group will receive real repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatments. Before each rTMS session they will be exposed to a series of methamphetamine-related pictures to evaluate response to methamphetamine visual cues while receiving real rTMS treatments. This group will be referred to as real METH (RM).

    Treatment: Real Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and Methamphetamine visual cues

  • Treatment rTMS + neutral picturesExisting treatment, for comparison

    Participants in this group will receive real repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatments. Before each rTMS session they will be exposed to a series of neutral pictures to evaluate response to neutral visual cues while receiving real rTMS treatments. This group will be referred to as real neutral (RN).

    Treatment: Real Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and Neutral visual cues

  • Sham rTMS + meth picturesSham treatment, for comparison

    Participants in this group will receive sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatments. Before each rTMS session they will be exposed to a series of methamphetamine-related pictures to evaluate response to methamphetamine visual cues while receiving sham rTMS treatments. This group will be referred to as sham METH (SM).

    Treatment: Sham Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and Methamphetamine visual cues

  • Sham rTMS + neutral picturesSham treatment, for comparison

    Participants in this group will receive sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatments. Before each rTMS session they will be exposed to a series of neutral pictures to evaluate response to neutral visual cues while receiving sham rTMS treatments. This group will be referred to as sham neutral (SN).

    Treatment: Sham Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and Neutral visual cues

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
The Use of Repetitive Transmagnetic Stimulation to Target Craving in Methamphetamine Use Disorder
Fit questions
Built from NCT03470480, who can take part
Record updated
23 September 2026