Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients

Introduction: Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) pose significant challenges globally, with opiate addiction being particularly prevalent. This study investigates the impact of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 10 Hz and individual alpha frequencies (IAF), along with cognitive bias...

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Main Authors: Kiyanoosh Papi, Masoud Nosratabadi, Farhad Taremian, Nikzad Ghanbari, Maryam Ebrahimi Varkiyani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825002525
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author Kiyanoosh Papi
Masoud Nosratabadi
Farhad Taremian
Nikzad Ghanbari
Maryam Ebrahimi Varkiyani
author_facet Kiyanoosh Papi
Masoud Nosratabadi
Farhad Taremian
Nikzad Ghanbari
Maryam Ebrahimi Varkiyani
author_sort Kiyanoosh Papi
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) pose significant challenges globally, with opiate addiction being particularly prevalent. This study investigates the impact of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 10 Hz and individual alpha frequencies (IAF), along with cognitive bias modification (CBM), on drug craving, anxiety, depression, and attention bias in individuals with SUDs. Methods: Participants (N = 72) were allocated to control, tACS 10 Hz, tACS IAF, Sham, CBM, and CBM + tACS groups (n = 12 each). Measures included demographic questionnaires, dot probe tasks, Desires for Drug Questionnaires (DDQ), DASS-21 assessments, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for craving. Mixed repeated measures ANOVA were conducted, revealing significant interactions (TIME*GROUP), indicating differential treatment effects over time. Findings: The study involved 72 substance abusers divided into six groups: control, tACS.10 Hz, tACS Real, Sham, CBM, and CBM + tACS. Demographic variables were similar among groups. Mixed ANOVA showed significant TIME*GROUP interactions for all assessments. Significant differences were found in anxiety, drug dependence, and visual analog scale measures. Conclusion: In brief, although using tACS and CBM separately didn't lead to significant decreases in substance-related issues, employing them together demonstrated potential. This research underscores how the brain can adapt to electrical stimulation and emphasizes the importance of delving deeper into treating SUDs. However, limitations such as limited participant availability and the reliance on verbal craving induction indicate the necessity for more comprehensive study designs and varied assessment methods in future investigations.
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spelling doaj-art-407a83317b4e433f80c68e5a28e323f22025-08-20T02:26:59ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-05-0125510493910.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104939Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patientsKiyanoosh Papi0Masoud Nosratabadi1Farhad Taremian2Nikzad Ghanbari3Maryam Ebrahimi Varkiyani4Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Corresponding author.Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IranDepartment of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IranIntroduction: Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) pose significant challenges globally, with opiate addiction being particularly prevalent. This study investigates the impact of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 10 Hz and individual alpha frequencies (IAF), along with cognitive bias modification (CBM), on drug craving, anxiety, depression, and attention bias in individuals with SUDs. Methods: Participants (N = 72) were allocated to control, tACS 10 Hz, tACS IAF, Sham, CBM, and CBM + tACS groups (n = 12 each). Measures included demographic questionnaires, dot probe tasks, Desires for Drug Questionnaires (DDQ), DASS-21 assessments, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for craving. Mixed repeated measures ANOVA were conducted, revealing significant interactions (TIME*GROUP), indicating differential treatment effects over time. Findings: The study involved 72 substance abusers divided into six groups: control, tACS.10 Hz, tACS Real, Sham, CBM, and CBM + tACS. Demographic variables were similar among groups. Mixed ANOVA showed significant TIME*GROUP interactions for all assessments. Significant differences were found in anxiety, drug dependence, and visual analog scale measures. Conclusion: In brief, although using tACS and CBM separately didn't lead to significant decreases in substance-related issues, employing them together demonstrated potential. This research underscores how the brain can adapt to electrical stimulation and emphasizes the importance of delving deeper into treating SUDs. However, limitations such as limited participant availability and the reliance on verbal craving induction indicate the necessity for more comprehensive study designs and varied assessment methods in future investigations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825002525Transcranial alternating current stimulationtACSCognitive bias modificationCBMAnxietyDepression
spellingShingle Kiyanoosh Papi
Masoud Nosratabadi
Farhad Taremian
Nikzad Ghanbari
Maryam Ebrahimi Varkiyani
Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
Acta Psychologica
Transcranial alternating current stimulation
tACS
Cognitive bias modification
CBM
Anxiety
Depression
title Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
title_full Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
title_fullStr Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
title_short Effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating anxiety, depression, attentional bias, and drug craving in opioid-dependent patients
title_sort effectiveness of transcranial alternating current stimulation tacs and cognitive bias modification cbm in treating anxiety depression attentional bias and drug craving in opioid dependent patients
topic Transcranial alternating current stimulation
tACS
Cognitive bias modification
CBM
Anxiety
Depression
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825002525
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