Penetanguishene

Researchers are evaluating whether a 5-day course of bilateral accelerated deep transcranial magnetic stimulation aTMS can be a feasible treatment to help adults aged 18 to 65 with Tobacco Use Disorder quit smoking. This Phase 2 clinical trial aims to enroll 30 to 40 participants and will assess treatment tolerability, acceptability, participant retention, and adherence to the scheduled sessions. It also explores how aTMS affects smoking outcomes such as abstinence, craving, cigarette consumption, and dependence severity over several weeks of follow-up. The treatment involves bilateral accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the insula and prefrontal cortex using the Health Canada-approved H4 coil. Participants will receive 20 sessions of aTMS over five consecutive days, with four sessions each day. This accelerated approach differs from traditional methods by delivering multiple sessions daily. The study focuses on the feasibility and tolerability of this intensive 1-week treatment schedule. Participants will attend treatment sessions daily for one week, followed by follow-up visits at weeks 3, 5, 9, 13, and 26 to monitor smoking abstinence and other outcomes. Researchers will collect data on side effects, treatment acceptability, session attendance, and changes in tobacco craving and dependence. The study carefully monitors participant safety and retention throughout the treatment and follow-up periods, aiming to understand the potential of aTMS in supporting smoking cessation over six months.