A new trial is exploring the potential of using electrical stimulation to reduce cravings in people struggling with alcohol and opioid addiction. Surgeons will implant devices in the brains of patients to assess whether controlled electrical pulses can help manage addiction. This trial is a significant step toward understanding how deep brain stimulation might assist those fighting substance dependency.
The Potential of Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is already a common treatment for conditions like Parkinson’s disease, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Now, researchers from Cambridge University, Oxford University, and King’s College London are testing its effects on addiction. They aim to see if this technique can reduce cravings and improve self-control in people with alcohol and opioid addiction.
Professor Valerie Voon, the lead investigator from Cambridge University’s psychiatry department, explained how DBS works: “Deep brain stimulation functions like a pacemaker. Just as pacemakers regulate heart rhythms, we believe a brain implant can help normalize abnormal brain activity related to addiction. This trial will determine whether this concept can be effective.”
The hope is that DBS could help those who have struggled for years with addiction, offering a new avenue of treatment beyond traditional methods like medication and therapy.
A Growing Use of Brain Implants in Medicine
The use of brain implants has been growing in recent years. More than 250,000 people around the world have received these devices to treat various neurological disorders. For example, patients with Parkinson’s disease often have electrodes implanted in their brains to send electrical impulses to motor centers. These impulses help reduce tremors and involuntary movements, improving the patient’s quality of life.
Small studies have suggested that DBS could also be effective for treating addiction. Now, researchers are preparing for the first large-scale clinical trial to test whether this technique can help reduce alcohol and opioid cravings. With addiction rates rising, particularly in the UK, the trial could offer new hope for many people struggling with these issues.
The Struggle with Addiction
In the UK, alcohol dependence affects hundreds of thousands of people, and many more suffer from anxiety, depression, and related issues. Opioid addiction is also a growing concern, with drugs like heroin and morphine involved in nearly half of all fatal drug overdoses.
Professor Voon pointed out the severe impact addiction has on individuals and their families. “Severe addiction disables people, making it hard to hold a job and exposing them to the risk of overdose. Addiction doesn’t just affect the person struggling with it; it harms families too—parents, siblings, spouses, and children all suffer. Tackling addiction is not just about helping one person, but about helping society as a whole.”
The trial aims to reduce the strain addiction places on both individuals and society by exploring new ways to help people regain control over their cravings.
How the Trial Will Work
The study, named Brain-Pacer (Brain Pacemaker Addiction Control to End Relapse), will involve twelve participants—six with alcohol addiction and six with opioid addiction. Each person will have struggled with addiction for at least five years and experienced at least three relapses. The participants must also have tried conventional treatments, like medication or psychotherapy, without success.
The trial will take place at two hospitals: Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and King’s College Hospital in London. Each participant will have a thin electrode implanted in their brain in areas associated with reward, motivation, and decision-making. These electrodes will be connected to a pulse generator implanted under the skin in the chest, which will send electrical impulses to the brain to help regulate its activity.
The trial will be randomized, meaning some participants will not receive active stimulation all the time. This will help researchers better understand how the brain responds to different levels of stimulation. Researchers will also monitor brain activity to gain insights into the neural mechanisms behind addiction.
A Major Step for Addiction Treatment
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, a neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital and the lead surgeon for the trial, emphasized the significance of the research. “Deep brain stimulation is a powerful technique that can change lives. If this trial shows that DBS can reduce cravings and help with addiction, it will be a huge step forward in treating a complex problem that affects individuals, families, and society as a whole.”
Addiction remains one of the most challenging health issues in modern society, and while traditional treatments can be effective, many people still struggle to regain control. The Brain-Pacer trial could offer a new way forward, using cutting-edge technology to help those in need.
The trial is in its early stages, but its potential impact is profound. If deep brain stimulation proves successful in reducing cravings for alcohol and opioids, it could revolutionize the way addiction is treated. By addressing the root causes of cravings and improving self-control, DBS could provide a lasting solution for people who have tried everything else.
As the trial continues, experts will be closely watching the results. The hope is that this innovative treatment will provide new hope to those affected by addiction, offering them a chance to break free from the cycle of cravings and relapse.