Combining non-invasive brain stimulation with therapy for cocaine addiction

Augmenting cognitive-behavioral therapy with rTMS of the medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices for the treatment of cocaine use disorder

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC · NIH-10840324

Adults with cocaine use disorder will receive non-invasive brain stimulation alongside cognitive-behavioral therapy to try to reduce cocaine use.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorNEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE DBA RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HYGIENE, INC (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-10840324 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would come to an outpatient clinic for repeated sessions of transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) using the H7 coil that reaches deeper prefrontal regions involved in craving and self-control. Sessions are given alongside standard cognitive-behavioral therapy and participants are randomly assigned to real or sham (placebo) stimulation without knowing which they receive. The trial is double-blind and monitors cocaine use, treatment response, and brain measures to understand who benefits. The goal in this phase is to test feasibility and early signals that adding rTMS helps reduce cocaine use.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with a diagnosis of cocaine use disorder who can attend regular outpatient visits and participate in cognitive-behavioral therapy are the intended participants.

Not a fit: People with medical contraindications to rTMS (for example, certain implanted metal devices or a history of seizures), severe unstable psychiatric or medical problems, or inability to attend outpatient sessions may not be eligible or benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, adding rTMS to therapy could lower cocaine use and improve treatment response for people with cocaine use disorder.

How similar studies have performed: Early, small studies suggest rTMS can help with cocaine use, but well-controlled sham trials measuring cocaine consumption are limited, so this approach is promising but not yet proven.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.