Pilot Study of Personalized Deep Brain Stimulation Guided by Brain Monitoring for Severe Substance Use Disorder in Adults Aged 25 to 65

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are exploring deep brain stimulation DBS guided by stereoelectroencephalography SEEG for people with severe substance use disorder SUD who have not responded to other treatments. SUD is a serious condition causing many deaths and relapses, highlighting the need for new therapies. DBS has been used successfully for Parkinsons disease, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and this study aims to personalize DBS for addiction by using SEEG to identify brain areas related to craving. In this study, 10 participants will receive DBS guided by SEEG. After detoxification, patients will undergo DBS and SEEG implantation at Toronto Western Hospital, staying for 1 to 2 weeks. SEEG involves temporarily placing electrodes in the brain to monitor activity and guide the best DBS electrode placement and settings. Following this, participants will be monitored and receive standard psychiatric care for one year. Participants will attend 11 study visits including assessments of substance use, cravings, mood, anxiety, and brain activity using the implanted electrodes. Researchers will track treatment-related side effects, recruitment success, and adherence over 12 months. Urine tests, self-reports, and questionnaires will help measure outcomes. The study aims to better understand and improve personalized DBS treatment for those with treatment-resistant SUD.

HABITS Study (Helping Addiction by Individualized Therapeutic Stimulation): Pilot Trial of Deep Brain Stimulation Guided By Stereoelectroencephalography for Treatment-Refractory Substance Use Disorders