Personalized brain stimulation for smoking based on brain activity patterns
Bayesian neurobehavioral phenotyping: from mechanism identification to personalized neuromodulation treatments
See if brain-based markers can guide personalized magnetic brain stimulation to help people who smoke cut down on nicotine use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11190818 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project measures how each smoker's reward and cognitive control brain networks respond to drug cues and decision tasks to create individualized profiles. Depending on those profiles, participants will receive targeted repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to either the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The team will use Bayesian methods to combine brain and behavior data and predict who benefits from each type of stimulation, while tracking nicotine self-administration and related behaviors. The R61 phase tests the feasibility and preliminary effects of this personalized approach compared with typical one-size-fits-all stimulation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adult smokers with nicotine dependence who can attend multiple clinic visits for brain testing and rTMS sessions.
Not a fit: People who are not regular smokers, who have contraindications to rTMS (for example seizure disorders or implanted metal in the head), or who cannot travel for repeated visits are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make brain-stimulation treatments for smoking more reliable by matching stimulation to a person's brain activity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior rTMS studies for substance use have shown promise but mixed results, and guiding treatment with brain markers is a relatively new and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Versace, Francesco — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Versace, Francesco
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 below.