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TerminatedNo phase

Neuromodulation and Cognitive Training for Substance Use Disorders

Key facts

Who runs it
University of Minnesota
Where
Minneapolis, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Status
Terminated
People taking part
33 people enrolled
Started
16 Jul 2021
Ended
20 Jun 2026
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • tDCS
  • Cognitive Training
Record updated
10 August 2026
Why it stopped
closed to accrual due to change in practice; no longer seeing eligible participants.

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 12 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Abstinent from any substance or alcohol use (excluding caffeine or nicotine) for a minimum of 3 weeks at study enrollment
  • Has the intention to remain in their treatment program(s) until the end of the intervention portion of the study
  • Able to provide written consent and comply with study procedures
  • Meets the MINI 7 diagnostic criteria for either stimulant use disorder (SUD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD)

Who cannot take part

  • Any medical condition or treatment with neurological sequelae (i.e. stroke, tumor, HIV)
  • Presence of a condition that would render study measures difficult or impossible to administer or interpret
  • Primary current substance use disorder diagnosis (according to MINI 7 diagnostic criteria) for a substance other than stimulant or alcohol, except for caffeine or nicotine (Nicotine use will be recorded but is not exclusionary)
  • History of ECT or cortical energy exposure within the past 6 months, including participation in any other neuromodulation studies
  • Age outside the range of 18 to 65
  • Over 9 months of abstinence from substance use
  • A head injury resulting in a loss of consciousness exceeding 30 minutes (i.e., moderate or severe TBI)
  • Entrance to the treatment program under a court mandate. (i.e. legally incarcerated)

Where in United States

  • University of Minnesota FairviewMinneapolis, United States

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The relapsing nature of substance use disorder is a major obstacle to successful treatment. About 70% of those entering treatment will relapse within one year. To improve treatment outcome, new interventions targeting the underlying brain biomarkers of relapse vulnerability hold significant promise in reducing this critical public health problem. This study is testing a new intervention, namely tDCS-Augmented Cognitive Training, to engage these brain biomarkers to improve cognition and improve treatment outcomes.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Active tDCSTreatment being tested

    Treatment: tDCS and Cognitive Training

  • Sham tDCSPlacebo, for comparison

    Treatment: Cognitive Training

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Record updated
10 August 2026