tDCS Effects on Resisting Smoking: Dose Ranging Study (RDR)
Nicotine Addiction
About this trial
This is an interventional other trial for Nicotine Addiction
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Healthy males and females who are between 18 and 60 years of age
- Report smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day for the past year and have a CO value of > 10ppm at intake
- Planning to live in the area for at least the next 2 months;
- Capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the combined consent and HIPAA form;
- Able to communicate fluently in English (speaking, writing, and reading);
- Smokers who answer yes on a question regarding motivation to quit smoking.
Exclusion Criteria:
Alcohol/Drugs:
- History or current diagnosis or treatment for alcohol or drug abuse (as reported during phone screen);
- Positive breath alcohol concentration test (BrAC >0.01) at any study visit. a. Participants testing positive for breath alcohol with a reading equal to or greater than .08 (the legal driving limit) or who are visibly impaired will be instructed not to drive themselves home after the appointment. If a participant needs to use a phone to call for a safe ride home, an office telephone will be made available to the participant.
Medication:
Current use or recent discontinuation (within the last 14 days at the time of Intake) of:
- Smoking cessation medication (e.g., Zyban, Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Chantix);
- Anti-psychotic medications;
- Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT);
- GABAergic medications;
- Glutamatergic medications;
Any medication that could compromise participant safety as determined by the Principal Investigator and/or Study Physician.
Daily use of:
- Opiate-containing medications for chronic pain;
- Benzodiazepines.
Medical/Neuropsychiatric:
- Women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, and/or breast feeding. All female subjects will complete a urine pregnancy test at the intake visit and preceding all brain stimulation sessions (4 urine pregnancy tests in total);
- History of epilepsy or a seizure disorder;
- History of stroke;
- Self-reported history of brain or spinal tumor;
- Self-reported history or current diagnosis of psychosis, including schizophrenia, mania, bipolar disorder, major depression (subjects with a history of major depression but in remission for past 6 months are eligible).
tDCS-related:
- Self-report of metallic objects in the face or head other than dental apparatus (e.g. braces, fillings, and implants);
- Self-report of pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
- Self-report of any skull fracture or opening.
General Exclusion:
- Any medical condition, illness, disorder, or concomitant medication that could compromise participant safety or treatment, as determined by the Principal Investigator;
- Low or borderline intellectual functioning - determined by a score of less than 90 on the Shipley Institute of Living Scale (SILS) (administered at Intake Visit). The SILS correlates with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Estimated IQ Test;
- Inability to provide informed consent or complete any of the study tasks as determined by the Principal Investigator.
Sites / Locations
- University of Pennsylvania
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Sham Comparator
Experimental
Experimental
Sham dose
1mA dose
2 mA dose
Participants in this arm will receive the sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) procedure. During sham tDCS, a 1.0 mA to 2.0 mA current will be delivered for approximately 30 seconds before being extinguished over a course of seconds. Again, the anodal electrode will be placed over the left F3 and the cathodal electrode over the right supraorbital area. Most participants cannot distinguish between real and sham tDCS.
Participants in this arm will receive the 1mA transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) procedure. A neuroConn DC-Stimulator Plus will apply a constant direct current (1.0 mA via 5x7 electrode) to the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex. Each participant will receive anodal stimulation for a period of 20 minutes. For anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC, the anodal electrode will be placed over the left F3 and the cathodal electrode over the right supraorbital area (international EEG 10/20 system).
Participants in this arm will receive the 2 mA transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) procedure. A neuroConn DC-Stimulator Plus will apply a constant direct current (2.0 mA via 5x7 electrode) to the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex. Each participant will receive anodal stimulation for a period of 20 minutes. For anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC, the anodal electrode will be placed over the left F3 and the cathodal electrode over the right supraorbital area (international EEG 10/20 system).