Brain stimulation was safe for cannabis craving but adding visual cannabis cues did not improve results
High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation showed promise for reducing cannabis craving, but combining it with cannabis cue exposure did not add benefit over stimulation alone.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
All groups showed reduced cannabis craving, frequency, and improved cognition; anodal right DLPFC HD-tDCS was safe with high completion rates (91.7%); cue exposure did not add to the effect of stimulation.
Key Numbers
48 participants; 4 groups of 12; 19.6% acceptance rate; 91.7% completion rate; craving reductions sustained at 4-week follow-up in all groups except sham + cue; cannabis use frequency and amount reduced in all groups.
How They Did This
Double-blind RCT; 48 participants with cannabis use disorder randomized to 4 groups (tDCS + cue, tDCS + neutral, sham + cue, sham + neutral); 6 sessions; craving assessed post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up.
Why This Research Matters
Non-invasive brain stimulation represents a potential medication-free treatment for cannabis use disorder, though optimal protocols still need refinement.
The Bigger Picture
Brain stimulation therapies for substance use disorders are advancing, and this pilot suggests tDCS targeting the right DLPFC is safe and feasible for cannabis use disorder.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample (48 total, 12 per group); low acceptance rate (19.6%); all groups improved, making it difficult to isolate specific effects; no long-term follow-up beyond 4 weeks.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why did sham groups also improve?
- ?Would more sessions or different stimulation parameters produce stronger between-group differences?
- ?Can acceptance rates be improved for clinical translation?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 91.7% completion rate but only 19.6% of eligible patients agreed to participate
- Evidence Grade:
- Randomized double-blind design provides methodological rigor, but small sample size and improvements across all groups (including sham) limit conclusions about specific efficacy.
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of Concurrent High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cue Exposure in Cannabis Use Disorder: A Pilot Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Published In:
- The journal of ECT, 41(2), 126-135 (2025)
- Authors:
- Chauhan, Devika, Ghosh, Abhishek(6), Naik, Shalini S, Rana, Devender K, Singh, Shubh Mohan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06189
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did brain stimulation reduce cannabis craving?
All groups showed craving reductions, including sham groups, making it difficult to attribute effects specifically to stimulation versus other factors like study participation.
Was the treatment safe?
Yes. Adverse effects and dropout rates did not differ between active and sham stimulation groups, and 91.7% of enrolled participants completed all sessions.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- cannabis-dependence-physical-psychological-addiction-science
- cannabis-perception-vs-evidence-gap
- cannabis-use-disorder-test
- cross-addiction-quit-weed-start-drinking
- is-weed-addictive
- is-weed-addictive-science
- quitting-weed-and-alcohol
- rehab-for-weed-addiction-necessary
- signs-of-cannabis-use-disorder
- weed-vape-pen-addiction
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06189APA
Chauhan, Devika; Ghosh, Abhishek; Naik, Shalini S; Rana, Devender K; Singh, Shubh Mohan. (2025). Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of Concurrent High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cue Exposure in Cannabis Use Disorder: A Pilot Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.. The journal of ECT, 41(2), 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCT.0000000000001087
MLA
Chauhan, Devika, et al. "Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of Concurrent High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cue Exposure in Cannabis Use Disorder: A Pilot Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.." The journal of ECT, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCT.0000000000001087
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Acceptability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness of Concurrent ..." RTHC-06189. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/chauhan-2025-acceptability-feasibility-and-effectiveness
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.