Researchers are testing brain implants to help people with alcohol and opioid addiction. This new trial aims to see if electrical stimulation can reduce cravings and improve self-control by regulating brain activity related to addiction.
This technique, known as deep brain stimulation (DBS), is already used to treat conditions like Parkinson’s disease, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Now, a team from Cambridge University, Oxford University, and King’s College London is investigating its potential to help those battling addiction.
What is Deep Brain Stimulation?
“Deep brain stimulation works like a pacemaker,” explained Professor Valerie Voon, lead investigator from Cambridge University’s psychiatry department. “Just as pacemakers regulate irregular heart rhythms, we believe a brain implant can stabilize abnormal brain activity linked to addiction. This trial will test that theory.”
DBS involves implanting thin electrodes into specific areas of the brain related to reward, motivation, and decision-making. The electrodes are connected to a pulse generator implanted in the chest, which sends electrical impulses to regulate abnormal brain activity. This approach aims to reduce cravings and strengthen self-control.
Expanding the Use of Brain Implants
Brain implants are increasingly used to treat neurological conditions, with over 250,000 people worldwide benefiting from this technology. For Parkinson’s patients, DBS helps manage tremors and involuntary movements by stimulating motor centers in the brain.
Preliminary studies suggest DBS could be effective for treating addiction. Now, researchers are preparing for the first large-scale clinical trial to determine its effectiveness in tackling addiction, particularly alcohol and opioid dependency, in the UK and beyond.
Addiction remains a major issue, with hundreds of thousands in the UK struggling with alcohol dependency, often accompanied by anxiety, depression, and other health issues. Opioid addiction is also a critical problem, with nearly half of all fatal drug overdoses involving opioids like heroin and morphine.
“Severe addiction can be debilitating, making it difficult for individuals to work and increasing overdose risks,” Professor Voon noted. “Addiction affects entire families—parents, siblings, spouses, and children all suffer. It is never just a personal struggle. Tackling it is essential for society.”
How the Brain Implant Trial Will Work
The study, named Brain-Pacer (Brain Pacemaker Addiction Control to End Relapse), will involve six alcoholics and six opioid addicts. Participants must have battled addiction for at least five years and experienced at least three relapses despite conventional treatments such as medication or psychotherapy.
The trial will be conducted at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and King’s College Hospital in London. During the procedure, electrodes will be implanted in targeted brain areas, and the pulse generator will be installed in the chest. The impulses will be activated and deactivated randomly, allowing researchers to observe the effects of DBS on cravings and self-control.
“The goal is to reduce cravings and enhance self-control using these impulses,” Professor Voon explained. Researchers will closely monitor brain activity to gain valuable insights into addiction-related brain functions.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, a neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital and the trial’s lead surgeon, highlighted the importance of this study. “Deep brain stimulation is a powerful technique with life-changing potential. If we prove its effectiveness, it will be a major step forward in treating a difficult condition that impacts both individuals and society.”
If successful, the Brain-Pacer trial could pave the way for a new approach to managing addiction. As more studies emerge, deep brain stimulation may become a valuable tool in the ongoing battle against substance dependency.
