CHU de DIJON
Dijon, 21079, France
Location status: Recruiting
Recruiting
NCT Number: NCT04120714
Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Patients Suffering From Pathological Use of Internet Gaming
The Internet has grown considerably in the last twenty years, and as a result, cases of excessive iinterney use have emerged. These cases, which have clinical similarities with substance addiction, involve the various activities related to the Internet (online gambling, discussion forums, online networking, e-mail, pornography, shopping, etc.). However, to date, only the pathological use of Internet gaming (PUIG) is referenced in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, section III).
In PUIG, an individual loses control when gambling online. He/she typically spends 8 to 10 hours on this activity, sometimes without eating or sleeping. Usual obligations, such as school or work, or family obligations are neglected. PUIG can cause great psychological and social suffering. Neurological complications (epilepsy) and deaths (cardiac arrest) related to PUIG have also been reported. These situations are all the more dramatic because they often affect adolescents and young adults. In Asia, PUIG has become a public health problem. To date, no treatment has been validated for this disorder.
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques can modulate neural activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This modulation makes it possible to reduce addictive behaviours through different mechanisms (reduction of craving, impulsivity, and decision-making disorders). These techniques could be effective for PUIG.
Recruiting
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Request InfoKey information
Conditions
Age range
12 year and older
Sex eligibility
All sexes
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Not applicable
Primary location
Who can participate
Healthy volunteers accepted: No
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
- Patient aged ≥ 12 years old
- Patient and/or parents who have given oral consent
- Patient with PUIG (DSM-5 criteria)
- Patient that is motivated and willing to reduce or stop internet gaming
Exclusion criteria
- a person who is not affiliated to or not a beneficiary of a social security scheme
- Patient with severe chronic psychiatric comorbidity (schizophrenia, paranoia, chronic hallucinatory psychosis) and bipolar disorder types I and II
- Patient with a gambling addiction
- Patient who has had a recent change (< 1 month) in the prescription of psychotropic treatment
- Patient with an addiction to a psychoactive substance other than tobacco
- Patient receiving psychiatric care without consent or legal protection (guardianship, curatorship)
- Minor patient without parental consent for care
- Patient with severe heart, kidney, liver or lung failure
- Patient with a contraindication to the practice of tDCS: metal parts, medical devices implanted in the brain
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding in progress (negative pregnancy test)
- Patient unable to commit to a three-month follow-up
Treatment and study plan
active tDCS
Deviceactive D.C. transcranial stimulation (delivers a low current (1 to 2 mA)) for 10 to 30 minutes, during 5 sessions
Placebo tDCS
Deviceinactive DC transcranial stimulation (delivering a non-significant current at the beginning and end of the stimulation, simulating active stimulation) for 10 to 30 minutes, during 5 sessions
questionnaires
Other- visual analogue scale (VAS)
- impulsivity scale: Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - version 11 (BIS-11)
- Decision-making scales: Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART)
- Go-No go test
- HAM-D scale
- SF-12 quality of life scale
Primary outcomes
-
Evolution of scores on the IAT scale (Internet Addiction Test)
Time frame: 4 weeks after tDCS treatment
Evolution of scores on the IAT (Internet Addiction Test) scale 4 weeks after treatment with tDCS (5 sessions) compared to the 4 weeks preceding brain stimulation
Study contacts
Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.
Sponsors and collaborators
Lead sponsor
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon
Other
Registry information
Official study title
Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Patients Suffering From Pathological Use of Internet Gaming : Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind, Monocentric Pilot Study
Acronym: StimNET
Important dates
- Study start
- 2020
- Primary completion
- 2027
- Study completion
- 2027
- First posted
- Oct 9, 2019
- Registry last updated
- Apr 13, 2026
OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.
View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.