Bilateral Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation Over the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Significantly Reduces Relief Craving During Alcohol Withdrawal: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial Among Inpatients With Alcohol Dependence Syndrome in Northern India.
Twinkle Sharma, Priya Ranjan Avinash, Robin Victor et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of bilateral transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on relief craving in 48 male inpatients with alcohol dependence syndrome during withdrawal. The study found that the active tDCS group experienced a significant reduction in craving scores (14.17) compared to the sham group (7.08), with a P-value of less than 0.001, indicating a robust treatment effect.
Key findings
- Active tDCS reduced PACS scores by 14.17 compared to 7.08 in the sham group (P < .001).
- The reduction in craving was nearly twice as much in the active group compared to sham.
- The anticraving effect was consistent across mild-to-moderate and severe dependence subgroups.
- The study included 48 male inpatients with a mean age of 38.5 years.
Why it matters
Relief craving is a significant challenge in treating alcohol dependence syndrome, often leading to relapse. This study suggests that tDCS may offer a promising adjunctive treatment to reduce craving during withdrawal, potentially improving patient outcomes.