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Brain zaps synced to brain waves may curb meth cravings

NCT ID NCT07775807

Disease control Sponsor: Shanghai Mental Health Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot trial tests whether a personalized brain stimulation technique can help people with methamphetamine use disorder. The approach uses closed-loop theta-burst stimulation, which delivers magnetic pulses to a specific brain region in real time, triggered by the person's own brain activity while they view drug-related cues. The goal is to see if this can reduce cue-induced craving and improve impulse control. A small group of participants will undergo a single session, with brain activity and craving levels measured before and after.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Closed-loop theta-burst stimulation (TBS) delivered to the right parietal-occipital cortex, triggered by real-time EEG signals during a cue-reactivity task.
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could offer a new, non-invasive brain stimulation method to help people with methamphetamine use disorder manage cravings and improve self-control.
What could go wrong
This is a very small pilot study (5 participants) with no control group, so results may not be reliable or generalizable. The effects are short-term and may not translate to lasting clinical benefit.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 5 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years old or older, ....with at least 9 years of education (junior high school or above) or able to fully understand the task. * Meets DSM-5 for mild/severe amphetamine-type substance use disorder. * History of amphetamine-type substance use for no less than 1 year, with use at least once per week. * Has not received pharmacological treatment for substance use. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of any organic disease, or diagnosis of any other psychiatric disorder according to DSM-5 (e.g., bipolar disorder, major depression disorder). * Contraindications to TMS, as assessed by the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Adult Safety Screen (TASS). * Inability to complete assessments, treatment procedures, or follow-up due to cognitive or behavioral limitations.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

methamphetamine dependence substance-related disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Craving Cue-reactivity Methamphetamine use disorder Substance use disorder

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Shanghai Mental Health Center, 200030

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200000, China

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