Transcranial magnetic stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reduces cocaine use: A pilot study.
Terraneo A, Leggio L, Saladini M, Ermani M, Bonci A, Gallimberti L. · 2015
View Original AbstractThis study proves magnetic fields can therapeutically alter brain function and behavior, confirming that EMF exposure affects neural activity.
Plain English Summary
Researchers tested whether targeted magnetic stimulation of the brain's prefrontal cortex could help cocaine addicts reduce their drug use. They found that patients receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) had significantly more drug-free urine tests and lower cocaine cravings compared to those receiving standard treatment. This pilot study suggests that precisely applied magnetic fields might offer a new therapeutic approach for addiction treatment.
Why This Matters
This study demonstrates something remarkable: targeted magnetic field exposure can produce measurable therapeutic benefits in the brain. While TMS uses much stronger, focused magnetic fields than typical environmental EMF exposure, it illustrates the fundamental principle that magnetic fields can influence neural function and behavior. The science shows that electromagnetic fields interact with our nervous system in ways that can be both measured and clinically meaningful. What this means for you is that if controlled magnetic stimulation can help treat addiction by altering brain activity, then the chronic, lower-level EMF exposure from our devices and environment is also likely affecting our neural function. The reality is that our brains are electromagnetic organs, and this research adds to the growing body of evidence that EMF exposure has real biological consequences.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 29-day
Study Details
We employed repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), to test if dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) stimulation might prevent cocaine use in humans
Thirty-two cocaine-addicted patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (rTMS) ...
No significant adverse events were noted. During Stage 1, there were a significantly higher number o...
The present preliminary findings support the safety of rTMS in cocaine-addicted patients, and suggest its potential therapeutic role for rTMS-driven PFC stimulation in reducing cocaine use, providing a strong rationale for developing larger placebo-controlled studies.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2015_transcranial_magnetic_stimulation_of_1776,
author = {Terraneo A and Leggio L and Saladini M and Ermani M and Bonci A and Gallimberti L.},
title = {Transcranial magnetic stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reduces cocaine use: A pilot study.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X15003612},
}