Study of Brain Stimulation Combined with Episodic Future Thinking to Affect Methamphetamine Use Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of combining repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS with Episodic Future Thinking EFT compared to a sham rTMS plus EFT for people with methamphetamine use disorder. The study aims to understand how these interventions influence delay discounting, methamphetamine demand, the vividness of imagining future positive events, and the frequency of episodic thinking after EFT training. Participants will receive either active high-frequency rTMS or sham rTMS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex dlPFC. The rTMS sessions include two intermittent theta burst stimulations delivered about three minutes each, separated by 15-20 minutes. Both groups engage in EFT training, where participants identify and vividly imagine positive future events at different time points. Personalized EFT prompts are used during assessments and sent daily via text or email reminders for one week after training. During the study, participants will complete assessments measuring delay discounting and methamphetamine demand before and after the interventions, as well as at a 7-day follow-up. Measures also include EFT vividness during training, engagement with EFT at follow-up, and memory tasks. Methamphetamine use is tracked via self-report over the follow-up week. The study involves randomized assignment and quadruple masking, with safety and adherence monitored throughout the process.

A Pilot Study of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Plus Episodic Future Thinking for Methamphetamine Use Disorder