Using brain signals to help reduce cravings in people with heroin addiction
Official title: Brain-to-brain neurofeedback during naturalistic dynamic stimuli to reduce craving in heroin addiction
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-10932929 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people struggling with heroin cravings by using brain training techniques, so they can learn to manage their urges better and support their recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $211,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA058801-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10932929 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with heroin use disorder who are in the early stages of treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not struggling with heroin addiction or those who are not in early treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel approach to help individuals with heroin use disorder manage their cravings through brain-to-brain neurofeedback. Participants will engage in real-time fMRI neurofeedback, allowing them to learn how to control their brain activity in response to drug-related cues. By training their brains to modulate these signals, the goal is to reduce cravings and support recovery during early treatment. This innovative method aims to address the heightened reactivity to drug cues that often leads to relapse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new therapeutic tool to help individuals with heroin addiction reduce their cravings and improve their chances of recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown success in using neurofeedback techniques to reduce cravings in other substance use disorders, suggesting potential for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldstein, Rita Z — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Goldstein, Rita Z
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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.