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NCT05903495

Deep Brain Stimulation as a Novel Treatment for Refractory Opioid Use Disorder

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 6 March 2026
What this trial tests

NA trial testing Deep Brain Stimulation in Opioid-Related Disorders in 1 participant. Completed in 28 June 2024.

Timeline
1 July 2023
Primary endpoint
17 October 2023
28 June 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsorWest Virginia University
PhaseNA
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designcrossover
Maskingdouble
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment1
Start date1 July 2023
Primary completion17 October 2023
Estimated completion28 June 2024
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

West Virginia University

Who can join

Adults 22 to 50, any sex, with Opioid-Related Disorders. 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.

Safety and Tolerability as Measured by All Adverse Events Related to DBS Primary · Outpatient Week 12

Incidence of Study-Emergent Adverse Events. The safety/tolerability primary endpoint will be assessed comparing Grade 3 and 4 adverse events between the Active (DBS-ON) and Sham (DBS-OFF) arms throughout Phase IV (Outpatient Week 12). We will also categorize adverse events by organ system and assess relatedness to any aspect of this proof-of-concept study. Statistical tests will be performed at the request of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).

Total Mild AEs
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only3
Mild AE - Expected
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only0
Mild AE - Unexpected
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only3
Mild AE - Probably Related (Disorder)
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only1
Mild AE - Unrelated
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only2
Total Moderate AEs
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only1
Moderate AE - Unexpected
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only1
Moderate AE - Expected
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only0
Opioid Use Assessed Via Quantitative Urine Toxicology Primary · Outpatient Week 12

Opioid use will be evaluated through the use of quantitative urine toxicology using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The primary outcome comparison between the active and sham arms will be based off participants with undetectable opioid metabolites (assessed via quantitative urine toxicology) throughout the primary Outpatient Week 12 endpoint.

Number of Participant's Opioid Negative through 12 Week Endpoint
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only1
Number of Participant's Opioid Positive through 12 Week Endpoint
GroupValue95% CI
DBS-ON Only0

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Outpatient Week 12. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

DBS-ON Only
Serious: 0/1 (0%)
Deaths: 0/1
DBS-OFF, Then DBS-ON
Serious: 0
Deaths: 0
Other adverse events (5 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemDBS-ON OnlyDBS-OFF, Then DBS-ON
Dental painMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Fractured Molar (x2)Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
HyperkalemiaCardiac disorders
PalpitationsCardiac disorders
Intermittent HypertensionCardiac disorders

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05903495 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

The purpose of this clinical study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral internal capsule (VC) for participants with treatment refractory opioid use disorder (OUD) who have cognitive, behavioral, and functional disability.

Publications & conference data

3 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Deep Brain Stimulation for the Management of Refractory Neurological Disorders: A Comprehensive Review.
    Rissardo JP, Vora NM, Tariq I, Mujtaba A, et al · · 2023 · cited 17× · PMID 38004040 · DOI 10.3390/medicina59111991
  2. Best practices for clinical trials of deep brain stimulation for neuropsychiatric indications.
    Tremblay-McGaw AG, Hamlat EJ, Becker NC, Astudillo Maya DA, et al · · 2025 · cited 1× · PMID 40309667 · DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1572972
  3. Epigenetic mechanisms of HIV and opioid-induced neuropathology: Potential therapies and interventions.
    Owens F, Carbajal C, Rodriguez M, El-Hage N. · · 2025 · PMID 40958413 · DOI 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.09.028

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Deep Brain Stimulation

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Opioid-Related Disorders

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other West Virginia University trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

Verify against primary sources

Data sources for this page

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Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing