Can a sound wave calm addiction? ultrasound targets the Brain's craving center
NCT ID NCT07734623
First seen Jul 29, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This trial tests whether a single session of low-intensity focused ultrasound aimed at a brain region linked to reward and craving can safely reduce substance cravings and prevent relapse in people with severe opioid or amphetamine use disorder. Sixty participants will receive the ultrasound treatment and be followed for up to two years to track craving levels, drug use, and mental health. The goal is to see if this non-invasive approach can help control addiction when standard treatments are not enough.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- low-intensity focused ultrasound targeting the nucleus accumbens
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-invasive brain stimulation option to help people with severe substance use disorder reduce cravings and stay off drugs.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The effects may be temporary, and the procedure carries unknown risks.
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
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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
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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20 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Meets the DSM-5 criteria for opioid use disorder or amphetamine use disorder, with a severity level of severe, and does not currently meet the criteria for in sustained remission; * Within 7 days prior to the screening assessment, the participant must have been receiving a stable dose of medication treatment, such as methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, or naltrexone; * Within 7 days prior to the screening assessment, the participant must have abstained from illicit substances and alcohol, and must have a negative urine drug test; * The bilateral nucleus accumbens must be clearly identifiable on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), such that they are sufficient for treatment targeting and for indirect measurement from other anatomical structures; * The participant must be able to communicate effectively and express their feelings and experiences during the study procedures; * The participant must be willing to comply with the study requirements, including adherence to prescribed medications and cooperation with study visits and assessments. (The participant must have the capacity to make independent medical decisions, as determined by the clinical team.) Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of neurological disorders or major psychiatric disorders, such as acute-phase schizophrenia spectrum disorder, acute-phase bipolar disorder, acute-phase major depressive disorder, severe cognitive impairment, or recent suicidal ideation or plan; * Antisocial personality disorder; * Occurrence of major physical health problems within 6 months prior to the trial, including: Cardiovascular or hemodynamic abnormalities, such as heart failure, arrhythmia, tachycardia or bradycardia (\>100 bpm or \<60 bpm), abnormal systolic blood pressure (\>180 mmHg or \<90 mmHg), or abnormal diastolic blood pressure (\>180 mmHg); Platelet or coagulation abnormalities (INR \> 1.5) or current use of medications that may cause anticoagulation, such as warfarin or Avastin; Renal dysfunction (eGFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73 m²) or ongoing hemodialysis; Severe infection; Immunocompromised status; History of intracranial hemorrhage, intracranial aneurysm, cerebrovascular events within the past 6 months, or brain tumor; Neurological diseases, such as stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, dementia, or related disorders; Any other physical illness that, based on clinical evaluation, may pose a significant risk to physical function or life during treatment. * Participants who, upon evaluation, are deemed unsuitable for MR-guided focused ultrasound treatment, including those with a low skull density ratio (\<0.4), intracranial implants, or energy-absorbing structures or sensitive tissues along the ultrasound beam path that cannot be avoided (such as prior ventriculoperitoneal shunt sites, surgical metal clips, significant calcifications, extensive scarring, or any rigid implants). During the pre-treatment evaluation, a head CT scan will be performed to determine whether the skull density ratio is suitable for focused ultrasound treatment. Based on prior theoretical evidence, an excessively low skull density ratio may reduce the efficiency of MR-guided focused ultrasound and increase the risk of adverse effects, and therefore such participants are considered unsuitable for focused ultrasound treatment. * Structural abnormality of either side of the nucleus accumbens; * Contraindications to MRI, such as claustrophobia, allergy to MRI contrast agents, or the presence of metallic implants incompatible with MRI; * Contraindications to PET imaging, such as allergy to radiopharmaceutical contrast agents; * Inability to comply with trial-related instructions, lack of legal/behavioral capacity, or lack of motivation to receive treatment; * Pregnancy or breastfeeding; * Scalp atrophy or poor wound healing of the scalp; * Any other condition that, in the physician's judgment, makes the participant unsuitable for enrollment in the clinical trial.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Taiwan University Hospital
RECRUITINGTaipei, 100229, Taiwan
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