Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users

Introduction: Chronic use of most psychoactive drugs may lead to substance dependence and drug addiction. Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder, and current pharmacological and behavioral therapies are not fully efficient. Attentional bias (AB) is hypothesized to have a causal contribut...

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Main Authors: Alireza Shahbabaie, Javad Hatami, Ali Farhoudian, Hamed Ekhtiari, Ali Khatibi, Michael A. Nitsche
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2018.00907/full
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author Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Javad Hatami
Javad Hatami
Ali Farhoudian
Ali Farhoudian
Hamed Ekhtiari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Ali Khatibi
Ali Khatibi
Michael A. Nitsche
Michael A. Nitsche
author_facet Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Javad Hatami
Javad Hatami
Ali Farhoudian
Ali Farhoudian
Hamed Ekhtiari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Ali Khatibi
Ali Khatibi
Michael A. Nitsche
Michael A. Nitsche
author_sort Alireza Shahbabaie
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Chronic use of most psychoactive drugs may lead to substance dependence and drug addiction. Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder, and current pharmacological and behavioral therapies are not fully efficient. Attentional bias (AB) is hypothesized to have a causal contribution to substance abuse, addiction development and, maintenance. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been of increasing interest in the past few years as a means for modulating neuroplasticity of the human brain. Although several studies have reported promising therapeutic effects for tDCS in drug abusers, there is no consensus about optimal electrode montages and target brain regions. This study was aimed to compare effectiveness of several electrode montages in modifying AB.Methods and Materials: Ninety early-abstinent methamphetamine users were recruited from several residential drug-rehabilitation centers in Tehran province. They were randomly assigned to six groups with different electrode montages, targeting the left or right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as follows: Two conditions with anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC (return electrode placed over the left shoulder or left supraorbital ridge), three conditions with the anode positioned over the left DLPFC (return electrode over the right shoulder, right supraorbital ridge, or contralateral DLPFC), and one sham condition. Active stimulation intensity was 2 mA DC, delivered for 13 min followed by a 20-min rest and another 13 min of stimulation. The probe detection task (PDT) was performed to assess AB. The positive and negative affect scale (PANAS), and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) were used to assess baseline affective status before the intervention.Results: Mixed model analysis showed that the left DLPFC/right shoulder and left DLPFC/right DLPFC montages reduced AB toward drug-cues in comparison with sham stimulation.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC reduces AB in methamphetamine users. This study offers promising findings for further studies investigating tDCS as a clinical device to modify AB in drug users.
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spelling doaj.art-fbfe4412bd524ccf83c764f83a3dde7f2022-12-21T22:32:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122018-08-01910.3389/fphar.2018.00907384683Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine UsersAlireza Shahbabaie0Alireza Shahbabaie1Alireza Shahbabaie2Javad Hatami3Javad Hatami4Ali Farhoudian5Ali Farhoudian6Hamed Ekhtiari7Hamed Ekhtiari8Ali Khatibi9Ali Khatibi10Michael A. Nitsche11Michael A. Nitsche12Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyInstitute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, IranIranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranInstitute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, IranFaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranSubstance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranInstitute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, IranIranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, TurkeyInterdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, TurkeyDepartment of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, GermanyIntroduction: Chronic use of most psychoactive drugs may lead to substance dependence and drug addiction. Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder, and current pharmacological and behavioral therapies are not fully efficient. Attentional bias (AB) is hypothesized to have a causal contribution to substance abuse, addiction development and, maintenance. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been of increasing interest in the past few years as a means for modulating neuroplasticity of the human brain. Although several studies have reported promising therapeutic effects for tDCS in drug abusers, there is no consensus about optimal electrode montages and target brain regions. This study was aimed to compare effectiveness of several electrode montages in modifying AB.Methods and Materials: Ninety early-abstinent methamphetamine users were recruited from several residential drug-rehabilitation centers in Tehran province. They were randomly assigned to six groups with different electrode montages, targeting the left or right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as follows: Two conditions with anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC (return electrode placed over the left shoulder or left supraorbital ridge), three conditions with the anode positioned over the left DLPFC (return electrode over the right shoulder, right supraorbital ridge, or contralateral DLPFC), and one sham condition. Active stimulation intensity was 2 mA DC, delivered for 13 min followed by a 20-min rest and another 13 min of stimulation. The probe detection task (PDT) was performed to assess AB. The positive and negative affect scale (PANAS), and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) were used to assess baseline affective status before the intervention.Results: Mixed model analysis showed that the left DLPFC/right shoulder and left DLPFC/right DLPFC montages reduced AB toward drug-cues in comparison with sham stimulation.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC reduces AB in methamphetamine users. This study offers promising findings for further studies investigating tDCS as a clinical device to modify AB in drug users.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2018.00907/fullattentional biasprobe detection taskdrug addictioncravingtranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)methamphetamine
spellingShingle Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Alireza Shahbabaie
Javad Hatami
Javad Hatami
Ali Farhoudian
Ali Farhoudian
Hamed Ekhtiari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Ali Khatibi
Ali Khatibi
Michael A. Nitsche
Michael A. Nitsche
Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
Frontiers in Pharmacology
attentional bias
probe detection task
drug addiction
craving
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
methamphetamine
title Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
title_full Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
title_fullStr Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
title_short Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users
title_sort optimizing electrode montages of transcranial direct current stimulation for attentional bias modification in early abstinent methamphetamine users
topic attentional bias
probe detection task
drug addiction
craving
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
methamphetamine
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2018.00907/full
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