A sham-controlled trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and its effects on craving in patients with alcohol dependence

AIM: The aim of this study is to study the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in craving in drug-naive male inpatients of alcohol dependence syndrome. METHODS: A single-blind randomized sham-controlled study involving sixty inpatients of alcohol dependence syndrome in a tertiary care center. Following detoxification and consent, the patients were allocated into either active or sham groups for rTMS protocol. Daily sessions of rTMS were administered over the left DLPFC at 120% of motor threshold at high-frequency (10 Hz) stimulation with 4 s train, inter-train interval of 26 s, and a total of twenty trains per session. Alcohol craving questionnaire (ACQ-NOW) was administered thrice for each patient, i.e., before rTMS, on completion of rTMS, and 02 weeks following completion of rTMS. RESULTS: Analysis of variance of scores of ACQ NOW pre rTMS and immediately after and 2 weeks post rTMS did not show significant reduction in craving scores. CONCLUSION: Administration of ten daily sessions of high-frequency rTMS over the left DLPFC did not have significant effect in reducing craving in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome.