# A Preliminary Investigation of Pre-Frontal repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder

> **NIH NIH K23** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $139,320

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract:
A Preliminary Investigation of Pre-Frontal repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)
for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder.
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a common condition with few validated treatments and, to date, no FDA-
approved medications. Subsequently, providers have few options to offer treatment seekers.
An expanding literature base suggests that a single treatment of excitatory repetitive Transcranial Magnetic
stimulation (rTMS) applied to the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC) may temporarily reduce drug cue
induced craving across substance use disorders. Two recent clinical trials suggest that delivering a course of
multiple rTMS treatments holds promise as a potential treatme nt for tobacco and cocaine use disorders.
Consistent with the findings in addictions, in Major Depressive Disorder a single treatment of rTMS has little if
any mood effect; however repeated treatments result in clinically meaningful improvement and remissi on from
depression in a substantial number of depressed patients.
The candidate and mentorship team recently completed a laboratory-based trial demonstrating that a single
treatment of rTMS is safe, tolerable, and feasible in non-treatment seeking cannabis use disordered
participants. Additionally, rTMS reduced cannabis cue-induced craving. Given these promising preliminary
findings, it is possible that a full course of rTMS would have a larger effect on craving and an effect on
cannabis use.
In this application for a career development award, the candidate proposes to determine if a course of rTMS
treatments applied to the DLPFC can result in reduced cannabis cue-induced craving (Aim1) and cue
reactivity in reward structures during an fMRI paradigm (Aim2) in treatment seeking cannabis use disordered
individuals. Additionally, he will determine if a course of rTMS reduces cannabis use (Exploratory Aim).
Development of a novel, effective treatment for CUD would have the potential of helping the e stimated one
million cannabis using Americans that seek treatment each year. Of note, rTMS is a treatment with few side
effects, and it may focally target CUD’s pathophysiology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10414732
- **Project number:** 3K23DA043628-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gregory Sahlem
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $139,320
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10414732

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10414732, A Preliminary Investigation of Pre-Frontal repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder (3K23DA043628-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10414732. Licensed CC0.

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