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Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Identified as Potential Treatment for Nicotine Dependence
A study released this week by researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine shows that theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) could serve as a potential treatment option for nicotine dependence by improving self-control and reducing cravings.
Findings from the study were published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Nicotine dependence has been shown to be associated structural and functional differences in the brain that may affect inhibitory control. In their study, the University of Missouri researchers set out to determine whether the use of TBS—an intervention that has demonstrated efficacy in treating other mental health conditions—could help patients restore inhibitory control.
TBS—the application of magnetic impulses in bursts of 3—comes in 2 forms: continuous (cTBS), which consists of applying 3 bursts repeatedly for 40 seconds, and intermittment (iTBS), in which the same number of pulses are applied irregularly for more than 190 seconds.
A total 37 participants—most in their late 40s—participated in the study. The effects of both cTBS and iTBS to the right inferior frontal gyrus, a brain region highly involved with inhibitory control, were examined. The researchers found that cTBS improved inhibitory control, while both cTBS and iTBS reduced cravings and smoking.
“Identifying treatments that improve inhibitory control may help reduce smoking and can potentially help with preventing relapse following when a person attempts to quit smoking,” study lead author Brett Froeliger, a professor of psychiatry, said in a news release. “Treatments that improve inhibitory control may also help disrupt the cycle of drug use among individuals with other substance use disorders; however, further research is needed to examine the clinical value of TBS for treating substance use disorders.”
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