NCT05720312

Investigating Two rTMS Strategies to Treat Cannabis Use Disorder

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 28 May 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Cannabis Use Disorder in 22 participants. Completed in 1 July 2024.

Timeline

1 July 2023

Primary endpoint
14 May 2024

1 July 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Stanford University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	22
Start date	1 July 2023
Primary completion	14 May 2024
Estimated completion	1 July 2024
Sites	1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

Conditions studied

• Cannabis Use Disorder — all drugs for Cannabis Use Disorder →

Sponsor

Stanford University

Who can join

Adults 18 to 60, any sex, with Cannabis Use Disorder. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Number (%) of Participants Who Started and Completed Treatment Primary · 6 to 9 weeks

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	8
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	8

Number (%) of Participants Who Had Successful Generation of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Targets Primary · Day 1 (90 minutes to complete scan)

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	10
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	9

Number (%) Weeks of Abstinence From Cannabis Primary · 13 weeks (final 7 weeks of active treatment plus 6-week post-treatment follow-up)

Number (%) of weeks where the participant does not use any cannabis.

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	0
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	56

Number of Days of Use Per Week. Secondary · 4 weeks prior to baseline assessment and 7 weeks at the end of treatment through 6-week post-treatment follow-up

Number of days per week (0-7) where the participant uses any cannabis. At the time of enrollment participants were asked to recall the number of days of cannabis use per week for the 4 weeks prior to enrollment. Participants were then asked (over a period of 7 weeks) to recall days of use at the last fMRI visit (during prior week) and at the week 2, 4, and 6 follow-up visits. Average values are reported for the 4-week period prior to enrollment and the 7-week period at end of treatment at follow-up.

Baseline assessment

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	6.82	± 0.38
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	6.68	± 0.69

End of treatment / Follow-up

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	5.27	± 1.95
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	2.82	± 3.25

Average Number of Use Sessions Per Week. Secondary · 4 weeks prior to baseline assessment and 7 weeks at the end of treatment through 6-week post-treatment follow-up

Number of use sessions per week where the participant uses any cannabis. At the time of enrollment participants were asked to recall the number of cannabis use sessions per week for the 4 weeks prior to enrollment. Participants were then asked (over a period of 7 weeks) to recall the number of cannabis use sessions at the last fMRI visit (during prior week) and at the week 2, 4, and 6 follow-up visits. Average values are reported for the 4-week period prior to enrollment and the 7-week period at end of treatment at follow-up.

Baseline assessment

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	50.33	± 27.28
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	32.55	± 18.52

End of treatment / Follow-up

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	29.68	± 27.26
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	11.69	± 18.71

Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) Scale Score Secondary · Baseline and end of the follow-up period (12 to 15 weeks post-baseline)

The Q-LES-Q-SF overall score range is from 14 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction and enjoyment. The total score is expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible score (1-100).

Baseline assessment

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	56.25	± 13.61
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	54.82	± 11.97

End 6-week follow-up

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	62.50	± 11.01
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	67.63	± 11.15

Number of Participants Who Had a Period of 4-consecutive Weeks of Abstinence During the Follow-up Period Secondary · Follow-up period (final week of active treatment plus 6-week post-treatment follow-up)

Based on patient self-report of any 4-week period of abstinence

Group	Value	95% CI
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)	0
Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)	4

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Up to 15 weeks (6 to 9 weeks of treatment plus 6 week follow up). Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

DLPFC - Treatment Period

Serious: 0/10 (0%)

Deaths: 0/10

vmPFC - Treatment Period

Serious: 0/10 (0%)

Deaths: 0/10

DLPFC - Follow-up Period

Serious: 0/8 (0%)

Deaths: 0/8

vmPFC - Follow-up Period

Serious: 0/8 (0%)

Deaths: 0/8

Other adverse events (3 terms — click to expand)

Reaction	System	DLPFC - Treatment Period	vmPFC - Treatment Period	DLPFC - Follow-up Period	vmPFC - Follow-up Period
Fatigue	General disorders	—	—	—	—
Headache	Nervous system disorders	—	—	—	—
Transient Vision Change	Eye disorders	—	—	—	—

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05720312 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

In this trial we will work with a group of participants who are having problems related to marijuana use (they have Cannabis Use Disorder) and who want to reduce the amount of marijuana they use or quit using marijuana completely. We are testing to see if a treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can help them achieve that goal when combined with a brief three-session counseling therapy. Participants will receive rTMS to one of two different parts of the brain (the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex--the DLPFC or the ventromedial prefrontal cortex--the vmPFC) to see if applying rTMS to one brain area is more helpful than the other brain area.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Neuromodulation for Cannabis Use: A Scoping Review.
   Ngoy A, Tang VM, Xiao K, Blumberger DM, et al · · 2024 · cited 3× · PMID 38672008 · DOI 10.3390/brainsci14040356