title: Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Alcohol Use Disorder Patients: Effects on Dopamine Transporter Availability and Alcohol Intake.
abstract: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may affect neuro-adaptations associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD), potentially influencing craving and alcohol intake. We investigated alcohol intake and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in the striatum of AUD patients before and after deep rTMS. Fourteen patients underwent baseline clinical and SPECT assessment. Eleven out of fourteen patients were randomized into two groups for the REAL (n.5) or SHAM (n.6) treatment. Clinical and SPECT evaluations were then carried out after four weeks of rTMS sessions (T1). At baseline, AUD patients showed higher striatal DAT availability than healthy control subjects (HC). Patients receiving the REAL stimulation revealed a reduction in DAT availability at T1, whereas the SHAM-treated group did not. In addition, patients receiving the REAL stimulation had a decrease in alcohol intake. The results of this longitudinal pilot study may suggest a modulatory effect of deep rTMS on dopaminergic terminals and a potential clinical efficacy in reducing alcohol intake in AUD patients. Further investigations are required to confirm these preliminary data.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.addolorato@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Addolorato
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cocciolillo
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tarli
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sestito
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirijello
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Use Disorders Unit, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrulli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pizzuto
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camardese
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Center, Istituto Clinico Sant'Ambrogio, Gruppo Ospedaliero San Donato, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miceli
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Giuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D014326:Tropanes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014326:Tropanes; C087552:2-carbomethoxy-8-(3-fluoropropyl)-3-(4-iodophenyl)tropane
keywords: (123)I-FP-CIT; Alcohol dependence; Dopamine transporter; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Single photon emission computed tomography; Transcranial magnetic stimulation