A protocol of a systematic review on deep brain stimulation surgery and its efficacy in addressing substance abuse addiction

BACKGROUND: Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapeutic approaches are still the mainstay first line of treatment for substance use disorder. However, the path to rehabilitation and cessation of dependence often proves uncertain and laborious, with risks of relapse being considerable despite exposure to current therapeutic modalities. For cases of treatment‐refractory addiction, deep brain stimulation (DBS) interventions can prove a more effective long term therapeutic solution for the patient. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study will be to systematically assess whether attempts at correcting substance use disorder via DBS neurosurgical interventions have been successful in inducing remission or ameliorating relapse rates. METHODS: The current study will analyze available literature from database inception up to 15th April 2023, reviewing all publications documenting results achieved with human patients undergoing DBS for substance use disorder in PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane, and Web of Science. The electronic database search will exclude animal studies in the field and focus solely on the application of DBS for the purposes of addressing addiction disorders. RESULTS: The expectation is for a reduced number of trial results to have been reported, namely due to the relatively recent application of DBS to address severe addiction. Nonetheless, numbers should be in sufficient amount to inform about the efficacy of the intervention. CONCLUSION: This study will attempt to demonstrate the viability of DBS as a solution for tackling treatment‐refractory substance use disorder, proposing it as a valid therapeutic option that can deliver robust results and help combat an expanding societal plague that is drug dependence.