Gentle brain stimulation to lower opioid relapse during buprenorphine treatment
Official title: tDCS to Decrease Opioid Relapse
Funded at Butler Hospital (Providence, Ri) · NIH-11248844 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether a short course of gentle brain stimulation (tDCS) plus cognitive-control practice can reduce craving and early relapse in people starting buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Butler Hospital (Providence, Ri) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2018 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $498,005 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3DA047793-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248844 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults in their first week of prescribed buprenorphine for opioid use disorder who can attend multiple in-person visits and undergo MRI scanning.
✕Less likely to help
People not taking buprenorphine, those with contraindications to tDCS or MRI (for example certain metal implants or pacemakers), or those beyond the buprenorphine induction period are unlikely to benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If you are starting buprenorphine, researchers will deliver five sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) aimed at the brain region involved in self-control while you do cognitive-control tasks. Participants will have two fMRI scans: one before the tDCS plus task sessions and one after the five sessions to look for brain changes in craving and control networks. Some people will receive real tDCS and others a sham (placebo) version so researchers can compare effects, and subjective craving will also be measured outside and during an fMRI cue task. The study includes an initial UG3 phase using fMRI to confirm target changes and a larger UH3 phase to test clinical signals of reduced craving and relapse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower early relapse rates and strengthen self-control for people newly on buprenorphine.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small studies of tDCS in substance use have shown mixed but promising effects on craving and control, so this approach is somewhat novel but grounded in earlier work.
Where this research is happening
-
Butler Hospital (Providence, Ri)
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abrantes, Ana M — Butler Hospital (Providence, Ri)
- Study coordinator: Abrantes, Ana M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.