Researchers at Stanford Psychiatry Awarded Grant to Research Deep TMS Neuromodulation of Neural Circuits Associated with Stimulant Use Disorder

We are pleased to announce that Stanford Psychiatry’s Claudia Padula, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and Michelle Madore, clinical assistant professor (affiliated) of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, have received a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse titled, “Deep TMS Neuromodulation of Neural Circuits Associated with Stimulant Use Disorder.”

Converging lines of evidence suggest that neuromodulation of the neural circuits underlying methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) and subsequent relapse may be an innovative next step in improving treatment outcomes. Emerging research supports the salience network (SN) as a promising target to accomplish these goals. This study will use deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) – a neuromodulation technique that allows for deeper stimulation of cortical neurons, thus reaching core nodes of the SN – to modulate neural circuits related to relapse.

“The results of this study will be used to determine whether the dTMS protocol influences neural target engagement and subsequent use behaviors,” say Dr. Padula and Dr. Madore. “The data will provide a critical foundation for increasing the clinical indications of dTMS to be used as an innovative treatment option for individuals with MUD.”

Dr. Padula leads the BRAVE lab. Her work is focused on improving treatment outcomes for Veterans experiencing addiction by focusing the intersection of neuroscience and clinical psychology. Dr. Madore serves as the Director of the National Clinical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Program whose mission is to increase the availability of TMS for Veterans and gain a greater understanding of the treatment efficacy of TMS in Veterans. Recent publications related to this work include, “Accelerated Deep TMS in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Preliminary Pilot Trial Targeting the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Increases Neural Target Engagement and Abstinence,” published in the journal Brain Stimulation.

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For more information about this study, please visit NIH’s RePORTER