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Non-Invasive Deep Brain Neuromodulation for Smoking Cessation

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · NCT07298902

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 20–60 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
100
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
April 13, 2026
Record last updated
June 23, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

This study will develop novel low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) therapy to help people to quit cigarette smoking. Smoking is associated with cancers of the lung. Available smoking cessation methods help many to quit. However, for the many who continue to smoke despite the strong desire to quit and after exhausting existing therapeutic approaches, new treatment methods are needed. Without more effective treatment, many will continue to smoke, and our progress on cancer prevention through smoking cessation may decelerate as these associated cancer risks will remain. Brain imaging research has identified specific areas of the brain linked to severe nicotine addiction, but up to now there are no effective ways to directly target most of these deeper brain regions. LIFU is a new and safe method to modulate brain functions that can either inhibit overactive activity or restore normal activity levels. The purpose of this study is to provide a novel ultrasound-based neuromodulation strategy for smoking cessation in people who have difficulty to quit smoking despite numerous serious attempts in their lives. LIFU works by sending acoustic pressure modulating neural activity in the human brain.

Being studied: Low intensity focused ultrasound with active stimulations; low intensity focused ultrasound with sham stimulations

Conditions: Nicotine Addiction

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Must be a smoker for 5 or more years and within 20 to 60 years of age
  • Must not meet exclusion criteria for MRI scanning (e.g., non-fixed magnetizable objects)
  • Must not have ongoing unstable medical, neurological or psychiatric illness as determined by a combination of history, medical record, and/or examination.
  • Must be a current smoker with average of 5 cigarettes or more a day for the last month or longer.
  • Report 3 or more trials of smoking cessation attempts using nicotine replacement, e-cig, TMS, varenicline or other smoking cessation drugs, psychotherapy or other means.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Failed TMS screening questionnaire.
  • Significant alcohol or other drug use (substance dependence within the recent months) or positive urine toxicology screen for substance not prescribed other than nicotine or marijuana dependence.
  • Cannot refrain from using alcohol and/or marijuana 24 hours or more prior to experiments.
  • Taking > 400 mg clozapine/day and not on anti-seizure medication(s) with sufficient dose.
  • Woman who is pregnant (child-bearing potential but not on contraceptive and missing menstrual period; or by self-report; or by positive pregnancy test) or has had unprotected sexual intercourse without birth control in the last 4 weeks.
  • In ongoing smoking cessation treatment, clinical trial, or nicotine replacements (except for the current study)

Recruiting US locations

  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

    Houston, TX 77030

    Site contact: Xiaoming Du, PhD · 443-882-9717 · Xiaoming.Du@uth.tmc.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Xiaoming Du, PhD · 443-882-9717 · Xiaoming.Du@uth.tmc.edu
  • Alina Siatka · 713-486-2740 · Alina.Siatka@uth.tmc.edu
All smoking & vaping studies in Texas →
Non-Invasive Deep Brain Neuromodulation for Smoking Cessation (NCT07298902) | Bored Studies