Can Brain Pacemakers Cure Addiction? New Clinical Trial Aims to Find Out

A group of researchers from Cambridge and Oxford universities and King's College London are preparing to use deep brain stimulation that could potentially decrease the yearnings of addicts and boost their self-control.

This comes in the backdrop of the recent studies that have shown the impact that deep brain stimulation (DBS) can have on treating a variety of neurological conditions. DBS has already been in use to treat Parkinson's disease, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is now being tested as a treatment for alcohol and opioid addiction. The clinical trial Brain Pacer (brain pacer addiction control to end relapse), aims to see whether electrical impulses can in fact help in reducing cravings and improve self-control in people battling with substance dependence.

What is Deep Brain Stimulation?

Deep brain stimulation or DBS involves implanting a small electrode into specific areas of the brain. This then delivers electrical impulses to modulate neural activity. To draw parrallels, you can also think of it as a “pacemaker for the brain.” Just as a pacemaker helps stabilize irregular heart rhythms, DBS aims to normalize abnormal brain rhythms, particularly those linked to addiction. The concept is based on the idea that addiction may be caused by irregular brain patterns that drive cravings and compulsive behaviors. By correcting these patterns with electrical impulses, scientists hope to reduce cravings and promote better decision-making in individuals struggling with substance use disorders.

The Scope of the Trial

The Brain-Pacer trial will involve 12 participants, six alcoholics and six opioid addicts. These individuals will have to meet specific criteria, including a minimum of five years of addiction and at least three relapses. They must also have previously tried conventional treatments, such as medications or psychotherapy, without success. The trial is set to take place at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and King’s College Hospital in London.

The key to this trial is the precision with which the brain implants will be placed. The electrodes will be inserted into areas of the brain responsible for reward, motivation, and decision-making. These regions are deeply involved in the craving and compulsion that drive addiction. Once the electrodes are in place, they will be connected to a pulse generator implanted in the patient’s chest. This generator will deliver the electrical impulses intended to regulate the brain's activity and potentially reduce the cravings that drive addiction.

Potential Benefits and Challenges

The primary goal of the Brain-Pacer trial is to determine whether DBS can help alleviate cravings and boost self-control. Researchers hope that the electrical impulses will help normalize the brain's reward circuits, leading to a reduction in the intense desire to drink alcohol or use opioids. In turn, this could increase a person’s ability to resist the temptation to relapse.

However, the trial also serves a dual purpose. In addition to testing the efficacy of DBS as a treatment for addiction, the researchers aim to gain a deeper understanding of the brain mechanisms that underlie alcohol and opioid cravings. By recording brain activity both with and without the electrical impulses, the team hopes to identify which neural patterns are most closely tied to addictive behavior. This insight could pave the way for more effective treatments in the future, both for addiction and other mental health conditions.

A Step Toward Transformative Treatment

According to Prof. Valerie Voon, the project’s chief investigator, the goal of using DBS to treat addiction is not just to alleviate the immediate symptoms, but to offer long-term solutions. “Most people who are seriously addicted to alcohol or opioids are highly disabled,” she explains. Addiction not only affects the individual but also has a profound impact on their families, jobs, and communities. Overcoming addiction is a difficult and often lifelong struggle, but the hope is that deep brain stimulation could provide a new, life-changing option for those who have struggled with traditional therapies.

While addiction treatment through deep brain stimulation is still in its early stages, the potential benefits are immense. Opioid addiction, in particular, has become a crisis worldwide, with millions of people suffering from dependency on painkillers like heroin and morphine. The rise in fatal drug overdoses, many involving opioids, highlights the urgency of finding effective treatments. The Brain-Pacer trial offers a promising avenue for addressing this crisis, providing a potential lifeline for those who have exhausted other treatment options.

Looking Toward the Future

If successful, deep brain stimulation could represent a major breakthrough in addiction treatment. It offers the possibility of targeted, effective interventions that could change the way we approach addiction recovery. Prof. Keyoumars Ashkan, a leading surgeon in the trial, emphasizes the transformative potential of this technology. “It will be a major leap forward if we can show efficacy in this very difficult disease with a huge burden to the patients and society,” he says.

The Brain-Pacer trial is just the beginning. If it proves successful, DBS could become a critical tool in the fight against addiction, offering hope to millions who have struggled with alcohol and opioid dependence. As research continues, it may not only provide a new method of treatment but also a deeper understanding of the complex brain mechanisms involved in addiction.