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Mitigating the Disinhibiting Effects of Alcohol With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Who can join

Ages 21 to 29 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 21-29
* Must be competent in English
* BMI between 19 and 26
* At least a high school education
* Moderate alcohol users (e.g., at least occasional alcohol use, without meeting criteria for alcohol use disorder)
* Negative urine drug screen for illicit drugs
* Negative urine pregnancy test (if applicable) on testing days

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of seizures or a first-degree relative with seizure history
* History of head trauma or other CNS injuries
* Current or past psychiatric disorders (including substance use disorder, except nicotine or caffeine)
* Contraindications for non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g., metal implants, pacemaker)
* Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
* Current use of medications that lower seizure threshold
* Positive alcohol withdrawal symptoms
* Smokes more than five cigarettes per day (to avoid acute nicotine effects or withdrawal during visits)

About the study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how a specific type of brain stimulation affects alcohol-related decision-making and self-control in adults who drink alcohol. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

* Does brain stimulation change how people behave after drinking alcohol? * Does the combination of alcohol and different types of brain stimulation affect people's ability to make thoughtful decisions or resist impulses?

Researchers will compare the effects of two types of brain stimulation, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), after people drink alcohol or a placebo drink. A sham (placebo) stimulation condition will also be included. The study uses a within-person design, which means each participant will take part in all conditions.

Participants will:

* Attend five separate study visits * Drink either an alcoholic or placebo beverage * Receive one of the brain stimulation conditions (real or sham) * Complete decision-making tasks before and after drinking

The tasks will measure things like impulsive choices and reaction time. The researchers hope this study will help identify how brain stimulation could be used to improve decision-making during intoxication, which might one day reduce harmful drinking behaviors or prevent alcohol-related accidents.

What is being tested

• Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (device)
• Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation (device)
• Sham Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (device)

Sponsor: Michael J. Wesley, PhD · Participants: 12 · Started: Oct 30, 2025

Contact the study team

• Michael J. Wesley, Ph.D. · Phone: 18593231332
• Mark T. Fillmore, Ph.D. · Phone: 18592574728

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07188376

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.