Studying Brain Stress Responses and Alcohol Use Using Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback in People with Problematic Alcohol Consumption

What this Trial Is About

This research explores how specific brain networks contribute to the connection between stress reactions and alcohol cravings and consumption. The study focuses on individuals with problematic alcohol use, aiming to better understand the neurocognitive processes during stress that influence alcohol-related behaviors. Various brain imaging methods and cognitive tasks are combined with questionnaires to gather detailed information about participants' personality, habits, and stress responses. Participants are divided randomly into two groups to undergo similar tasks with a key difference in the brain self-regulation task. They complete the ScanSTRESS test inside an MRI scanner, which involves stressful cognitive challenges alternating with relaxation tasks. After stress induction, participants attempt to regulate their brain activity using real-time fMRI neurofeedback targeting the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). One group receives actual feedback from their brain activity, while the other receives prerecorded feedback from another participant. This process includes two neurofeedback runs of 9.5 minutes each. Throughout the study, participants provide saliva samples to measure cortisol levels and report their stress and alcohol cravings at multiple time points. They also complete an electronic diary for six weeks after the intervention to track daily mood, stress, and alcohol use. Researchers assess stress-induced brain activation, neurofeedback effects, hormone responses, cravings, and real-life alcohol consumption to understand how controlling neural stress responses may affect drinking behavior.

Using Neurofeedback to Understand the Relationship Between Stress and Alcohol Consumption