Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder
Psychotropic drugs and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are effective for treating certain psychiatric conditions. Drugs and TMS have also been used as tools to explore the relationship between brain function and behavior in humans. Combining centrally acting drugs and TMS has proven useful f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1150109/full |
| _version_ | 1797773452285837312 |
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| author | Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile |
| author_facet | Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile |
| author_sort | Michael J. Wesley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Psychotropic drugs and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are effective for treating certain psychiatric conditions. Drugs and TMS have also been used as tools to explore the relationship between brain function and behavior in humans. Combining centrally acting drugs and TMS has proven useful for characterizing the neural basis of movement. This combined intervention approach also holds promise for improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying disordered behavior associated with psychiatric conditions, including addiction, though challenges exist. For example, altered neocortical function has been implicated in substance use disorder, but the relationship between acute neuromodulation of neocortex with TMS and direct effects on addiction-related behaviors is not well established. We propose that the combination of human behavioral pharmacology methods with TMS can be leveraged to help establish these links. This perspective article describes an ongoing study that combines the administration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, with neuroimaging-guided TMS in individuals with problematic cannabis use. The study examines the impact of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) stimulation on cognitive outcomes impacted by THC intoxication, including the subjective response to THC and the impairing effects of THC on behavioral performance. A framework for integrating TMS with human behavioral pharmacology methods, along with key details of the study design, are presented. We also discuss challenges, alternatives, and future directions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:05:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0566751415f343429636f15979d26235 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:05:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-0566751415f343429636f15979d262352023-07-24T11:28:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2023-07-011710.3389/fnins.2023.11501091150109Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorderMichael J. Wesley0Michael J. Wesley1Michael J. Wesley2Joshua A. Lile3Joshua A. Lile4Joshua A. Lile5Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United StatesPsychotropic drugs and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are effective for treating certain psychiatric conditions. Drugs and TMS have also been used as tools to explore the relationship between brain function and behavior in humans. Combining centrally acting drugs and TMS has proven useful for characterizing the neural basis of movement. This combined intervention approach also holds promise for improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying disordered behavior associated with psychiatric conditions, including addiction, though challenges exist. For example, altered neocortical function has been implicated in substance use disorder, but the relationship between acute neuromodulation of neocortex with TMS and direct effects on addiction-related behaviors is not well established. We propose that the combination of human behavioral pharmacology methods with TMS can be leveraged to help establish these links. This perspective article describes an ongoing study that combines the administration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, with neuroimaging-guided TMS in individuals with problematic cannabis use. The study examines the impact of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) stimulation on cognitive outcomes impacted by THC intoxication, including the subjective response to THC and the impairing effects of THC on behavioral performance. A framework for integrating TMS with human behavioral pharmacology methods, along with key details of the study design, are presented. We also discuss challenges, alternatives, and future directions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1150109/fullbrain stimulationaddictionneural technologybehavioral pharmacologycannabis |
| spellingShingle | Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Michael J. Wesley Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile Joshua A. Lile Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder Frontiers in Neuroscience brain stimulation addiction neural technology behavioral pharmacology cannabis |
| title | Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| title_full | Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| title_fullStr | Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| title_short | Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| title_sort | combining noninvasive brain stimulation with behavioral pharmacology methods to study mechanisms of substance use disorder |
| topic | brain stimulation addiction neural technology behavioral pharmacology cannabis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1150109/full |
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