tDCS in Treatment of Craving in Sexual Addiction (NCT04923451) | Clinical Trial Compass
UnknownNot Applicable
tDCS in Treatment of Craving in Sexual Addiction
50 participantsStarted 2021-07-01
Plain-language summary
In patients with addiction to a substance, an increase in activity in the prefrontal cortex induced by transcranial Direct Current Stimulation -tDCS (non-invasive technique, modulating cortical activity by applying low-intensity electrical currents between two electrodes),may help reduce craving in people addicted to alcohol and tobacco. By analogy with addictive behavior with a substance, the craving observed in certain behavioral addictions would involve the same neural circuits.
The main hypothesis is to reduce the sexual craving associated with the viewing of erotic images during active brain stimulation compared to placebo stimulation. Functional MRI will allow to better understand the neural circuits involved in sexual addiction and in the expected inhibition of sexual arousal by tDCS in sexual addictions during visualization erotic images.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 60 Years
Sex
MALE
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* 18-60 year old male
* Heterosexual
* Right-handed (Manual laterality test)
* With a sexual addiction (PEACCE Tool\> 3 and Carnes ≥ 13/25) except for controls
* Having signed a written and informed consent
* Subject benefiting from social security
Exclusion Criteria:
* Subject presenting a medical pathology requiring drug treatment,
* Severe psychiatric pathology (bipolar disorder, hyperactivity or schizophrenia) or another addiction (alcohol, illicit substances or behavioral addiction)
* Subject consuming psychotropic drugs in progress or during the last month
* Subject not understanding French
* Subject under tutorship or curatorship
* Subjects with neurological disease including epilepsy or a history of head trauma
* Subjects hospitalized in enforced hospitalization
* Subject presenting a contraindication to tDCS: subject with an electrical or metal brain implant
* Subject with a contraindication to MRI
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Efficacy of tDCS in treatment of craving of sexual addiction
Timeframe: 3 years
2
Efficacy of tDCS in treatment of sexual addiction in subjective emotional response
Timeframe: 3 years
3
Efficacy of tDCS in treatment of sexual addiction in objective emotional response