Investigating of the effects of electrical stimulation on the DLPFC region on risky decision making behavior and brain waves pattern following craving induction in smokers: A cognitive and computational approach

the effects of electrical stimulation on the DLPFC area on risky decision-making behavior and brain wave pattern following craving induction in smokers

The clinical trial has 3 groups of 21 people, randomized, blinded

Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

The inclusion criteria are: having informed consent, age 18-60 years, smoking at least 10 cigarettes a day, knowing Persian, smoking for at least 2 years, not having a psychiatric diagnosis, not having a head injury or any brain damage. and neurological problems, absence of any visual defect, absence of metal object implantation in the head, absence of simultaneous participation in another study Exclusion criteria: occurrence of any physical and uncomfortable symptoms during the test, history of any physical illness and acute infection, history of any psychiatric illness, history of seizures for any reason, psychiatric and anticonvulsant medications during has consumed in the last 3 months, history of drug and alcohol consumption, history of accidents and head trauma, deprivation of sleep the night before the visit

21 smokers in the first group, during 10 sessions, received tdcs in the right DLPFC area, and the anode electrode was placed on the right side. 21 smokers in the first group, during 10 sessions, received tdcs in the left DLPFC region and also the cathode electrode was placed in the right part. 21 smokers in the first group, during 10 sessions, are located in the DLPFC area. (sham group)

Dependent variables: relative power of alpha waves; relative power of beta waves; relative power of theta waves; relative power of delta waves; spectral power of alpha waves; spectral power of beta waves Independent variables: Nicotine use disorder; Fagerstrom Nicotine Addiction Scale score

Each of the eligible people, randomly and using the minimization method, are allocated in one of the four groups receiving multi-site electrical stimulation. QMinim program (web version of MinimPy software) is used to carry out the process of random allocation using the minimization method. In the minimization method, the first person randomly enters one of the four groups with equal probability. From the second person onwards, participants enter groups with unequal probability (in favor of the group that has the least balance with other groups in terms of the desired variables). This process is done in such a way, that by allocating each participant, the most possible balance is achieved in the distribution of the desired variables among the groups, and at the same time, the number of people in each group is as equal as possible. In this study, the basic probability of each person being in a group with the least balance (compared to other groups) is 85%.

In this study, the participants are blind on the one hand, that is, they do not know about the type and process of stimulation, and the analyst also does not know about the type and process of stimulation.