Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center tested an accelerated form of transcranial magnetic stimulation in people with methamphetamine use disorder and co-occurring depression. Most participants completed the full course of treatment.
Manish Jha MBBS reported the findings at the American Society of Functional Neuroradiology meeting in Newport, Beach California. The study is still in its early stages and used an open label design.
It shows that researchers can deliver an intensive treatment schedule to this group. Larger randomized trials must determine whether the approach works.
How the Accelerated Protocol Worked
Conventional repetitive TMS delivers one session a day five days a week for six to eight weeks. That schedule can be difficult to maintain.
In an earlier trial for stimulant use disorder only 43.9% of participants assigned to treatment attended at least 20 of the 30 sessions.
The new protocol shortened the treatment period to three weeks. Participants received 50 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation.
Each session lasted 10 minutes and participants waited at least 50 minutes between sessions. Before each session researchers showed participants images designed to trigger cravings.
Of the 23 people enrolled 20 had methamphetamine use disorder and three had cocaine use disorder. Overall 94.7% completed at least 45 sessions. Participants attended an average of 46.3 sessions.
What the Data Showed
After 12 visits participants reported less methamphetamine craving and lower overall depression severity. Their cravings after viewing drug related images changed little.
However participants said they felt better able to resist using after their fourth daily session. Jha described the results cautiously.
The findings offer an early indication that the treatment could affect some aspects of craving. Researchers still need larger controlled studies to determine whether TMS causes these changes.
The Growing Toll of Stimulant Use
The need for better treatments is urgent. Jha said overdose deaths involving methamphetamine increased almost six to sevenfold in less than a decade.
Opioid related deaths have declined while deaths involving stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine continue to rise. The problem is especially pronounced in the western United States including Arizona, New Mexico and California.
One potential medication approach has shown modest results. A 2021 randomized trial found that extended release naltrexone combined with bupropion reduced methamphetamine use.
After six weeks 13.6% of participants who received the medications had negative urine samples compared with 2.5% of those who received a placebo. “There is really an urgent need to develop newer treatments,” Jha said.
What This Means for People Seeking Treatment
This study involved only 23 people and does not prove that TMS effectively treats methamphetamine use disorder. Researchers need a multisite randomized controlled trial before they can recommend the treatment for routine clinical use.
People struggling with methamphetamine use can still seek help today. Behavioral therapies and residential or outpatient rehab programs offer treatment options. People who also experience depression can seek care for both conditions.
Finding Treatment Options
If stimulant use is affecting you or someone you love start by comparing rehab centers that treat stimulant use disorders.
Ask each program how it treats co-occurring depression and whether its services address both substance use and mental health needs.
Check your insurance coverage before you call to understand which programs you can afford. You can also verify facility credentials and compare available services. Call
800-985-8516
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