Home › Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) › NCT04770025
A Pilot Study of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Boost the Efficacy of Psychotherapy in a Community Sample of People Who Drink Alcohol
Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation to Boost the Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing
Who can join
Ages 21 to 60 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria: * Self-identify as having problem drinking * Right-handed * Age 21-60 years * AUDIT score indicating risky drinking Exclusion criteria: * Left-handed or ambidextrous * Currently engaged in treatment for alcohol use disorder * Receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder within the prior 12 months * History of brain injury or neurological diagnosis * Evidence of current psychosis * Past-year substance use disorder other than alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine * Current or history of severe alcohol withdrawal * MRI/tACS contraindications including pregnancy * Impaired hearing (psychotherapy using American Sign Language is not possible within the scope of the proposed study) * Insufficient corrected visual acuity to complete the assessment instruments * Unable to read/speak English fluently * Unable to provide valid informed consent
About the study
The goal of this small (n=75) proof-of-concept randomized clinical trial is to test the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) during motivational interviewing (MI) sessions with participants who drink at above the low-risk level. Participants will be randomized to receive either MI with active stimulation, MI with sham stimulation, or a delayed treatment group that receives MI with no stimulation. Measures will include brain imaging, alcohol use, cannabis use, risk-taking behavior, emotions, and others. Participants who are randomized to the delayed-treatment group will not receive brain imaging.
What is being tested
- High-density transcranial alternating current stimulation (device)
- Sham stimulation (device)
- Motivational interviewing (behavioral)
Sponsor: The Mind Research Network · Participants: 75 · Started: Sep 1, 2020
Contact the study team
- Jon M Houck, PhD · Phone: (505) 925-2372
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT04770025
Locations in the U.S.
| New Mexico | The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.