Smoking BehaviorsNCT05426460
AAT + tDCS to Reduce Cue-induced Craving and Smoking Behavior
A study testing Approach/Avoidance Task, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and AC in people with Smoking Behaviors and Smoking, Cigarette, run by Cynthia Conklin at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Smokers are highly reactive to smoking-related stimuli and report that this cue reactivity (CR) is a major obstacle to quitting. To date, no pharmacologic methods attenuate CR, and attempts to diminish it with traditional cue exposure treatment (CET) have not proven effective. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 26 to 55 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Smoking Behaviors, Smoking, Cigarette
- What is being tested?
- Approach/Avoidance Task, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and AC
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 41 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 29 Apr 2022to 14 Jun 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 26 to 55 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Between the ages of 26 \& 55
- High treatment interest (planning to quit within the next 6 months)
- Ability to provide written informed consent
- Smoke equal or greater than 7 cigarettes per day
- Expired breath carbon monoxide (CO) equal or greater than 8 ppm at screening
- Ability to attend 10 sessions over a 3-week period, and complete 2 follow-up phone assessments
Who cannot join
- Epilepsy or Current Seizure Disorder
- Alcohol or Substance Dependence past 3 months (caffeine allowed, nicotine is part of inclusion criteria, alcohol > 14 drinks per week (M) or > 7 drinks per week (F))
- Implanted cardiac or brain medical devices
- History of epilepsy or current seizure disorder
- History of brain surgery or skull fracture
- History of a head trauma (losing consciousness >10 min and/or problems with speech or movement because of head injury)
Show all 15Show fewer
- Latex allergy
- Scalp irritation
- History of diabetes that caused loss of consciousness (>10 min) or weakness in your arms or legs
- History of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the last 5 years (Y / N) History of ECT within the last 5 years
- Current use of dextromethorphan
- Diagnosed with or undergone treatment for alcohol or substance dependence past 3 months
- Uncorrected vision deficit
- Colorblindness
- Use of tobacco products other than commercially available cigarettes
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
About this study
Smokers are highly reactive to smoking-related stimuli and report that this cue reactivity (CR) is a major obstacle to quitting. To date, no pharmacologic methods attenuate CR, and attempts to diminish it with traditional cue exposure treatment (CET) have not proven effective. The proposed study will test a highly novel cue-based smoking treatment adjunct combining an Approach/Avoidance Task (AAT) with brain stimulation via tDCS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during personalized multi-cue exposure; the goal of which is to discover an effective means of reducing cue reactivity and daily smoking, and increasing intent and confidence to quit, among high treatment-interest smokers.
Read the detailed description
Exposure to smoking-related cues robustly increases self-report craving and immediate subsequent smoking. This cue-reactivity (CR) is an often-reported obstacle to quitting among smokers. Unlike methods to diminish abstinence-induced craving, which have been highly successful with the advent of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), pharmacotherapies have not been shown to diminish smoking-related reactivity to cues. Past behavioral methods to reduce smokers' CR, most commonly extinction training through cue-exposure treatment (CET), have also consistently failed. Review of past CET studies reveals that this failure is largely due to several methodological shortcomings including: (1) presenting only proximal cues (e.g., cigarettes, ashtrays), (2) conducting passive unreinforced exposure to these limited cues, and (3) achieving only limited new learning. The researchers extensive past cue work makes them uniquely qualified to remedy these flaws by designing and testing novel CET methodology incorporating contemporary techniques and technology to reduce CR and relieve smokers of this ubiquitous source of relapse risk. The researchers propose three methods to improve CET. First, using well-tested methods for personalizing smoking cues and presenting numerous proximal, environment, and people cues in combination, the proposed cue exposure will better capture and target the cue-rich situations most likely to trigger smokers' strongest CR. Second, rather than repeated passive unreinforced exposure to cues, smokers will engage in active re-training of approach biases toward their personal smoking stimuli using an Approach/Avoidance Task (AAT), a method shown to activate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a brain region associated with both cognitive control over craving and deactivation of drug reward systems. Third, to enhance new learning, smokers will undergo non-invasive transcranial direct current brain stimulation (i.e., tDCS) of the dlPFC. Although the researchers propose each method, AAT and tDCS, should independently reduce smokers' CR to their most salient cues, providing AAT with simultaneous tDCS (AAT+tDCS) should synergistically attenuate CR by better increasing cortical excitability in the dlPFC. To assess this, a 2 x 2 active and sham-controlled test of AAT and tDCS during personalized multi-cue exposures will be used to examine pre-post training changes across several measures of smoking-related cue reactivity (cue-induced craving, cue-provoked smoking topography, and attentional bias measures of Evoked Response Potentials (ERPs) and reaction time), as well as changes in daily smoking and confidence and intent to quit pre-post training and at 1 week and 1-month follow up. The goal of this work is to develop an efficacious treatment adjunct that better prepares smokers to confront cues when they try to remain quit.
- Conditions
- Smoking Behaviors, Smoking, Cigarette
- Being tested
- Approach/Avoidance Task, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, AC, Sham tDCS
- Keywords
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Approach Avoidance Task (AAT), Smoking
- Medical subject headings
- Smoking, Cigarette Smoking
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Approach/Avoidance TaskBehavioural
Also called AAT
The Approach/avoidance task (AAT) training is done using a joystick. The AAT tasks involves having participants push away pictures of smoking stimuli that appear on the screen by pushing the joystick forward, and pulling in pictures of nonsmoking stimuli that appear on the screen by pulling the joystick towards themselves. Pushing smoking-related pictures away causes the picture to shrink in size, whereas pulling a picture closer causes the picture to increase in size. This task consists of 4 blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes.
Transcranial Direct Current StimulationDevice
Also called tDCS
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation active (2.0 mA) (tDCS) will be used to temporarily increase cortical excitability of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) in healthy daily smokers. Participants assigned to active tDCS conditions will receive active (2.0 mA) tDCS, with anode electrode placement over the right dlPFC and cathode electrode placement over the left bicep. tDCS will be administered the first 20 minutes of each of the five 30 minute AAT training sessions.
ACBehavioural
During Active Control (AC) participants press a button on the left of right of the joystick to indicate the position the picture on a screen. Position of pictures will be balanced across the 4 blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes.
Sham tDCSDevice
Sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (0.1 mA) (sham tDCS) will be used as a control for active tDCS with anode electrode placement over the right dlPFC and cathode electrode placement over the left bicep. Sham tDCS will be administered during the first 20 minutes of each of the four blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes, across the 5 training sessions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| AAT + tDCS | Experimental | Approach Avoidance Task + Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex Receives: Behavioral: Approach/Avoidance Task; Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation |
| AAT + sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Approach Avoidance Task with Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Receives: Behavioral: Approach/Avoidance Task; Device: Sham tDCS |
| AC + tDCS | Active comparator | Active Control Task with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex Receives: Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Behavioral: AC |
| AC + sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Active Control Task with sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Receives: Behavioral: AC; Device: Sham tDCS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mean Change From Baseline in 4-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges Craving Score During Cue Reactivity to Personal Cues
Difference between cue-induced craving rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test) on the questionnaire on smoking urges 4-items scored 0-100. Lower values indicate more reduction in cue-induced craving.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 1 week
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Difference in mean number of cigarette smoker per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 1 week
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Difference in mean number of cigarettes smoked per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post treatment (follow-up). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 2 weeks
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Difference in mean number of cigarette smoker per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post treatment (follow-up). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Confidence to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test) scored 0-100. More positive score reflects an increase in confidence to quit smoking.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 1-week
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Confidence to Quit rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post-treatment (follow-up)
Measured: Baseline to approximately 2-weeks
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Confidence to Quit rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post-treatment (follow-up)
Measured: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 1-week
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post-treatment (follow-up). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 2-weeks
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post-treatment (follow-up). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Measured: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Jun 2022
- Study start29 Apr 2022
- Primary completion15 May 2024
- Study completion14 Jun 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Smoking BehaviorsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 41 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cynthia Conklin
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Cynthia Conklin, University of Pittsburgh
- Investigators
- Cynthia Conklin, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Pittsburgh
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05426460
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY21020160
- Other IDs
- 1R21DA053395-01
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 26 May 2022
- Last updated
- 10 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: All of the individual participant data collected during the trial, after de-identification may be shared with other researchers.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- AAT + tDCS to Reduce Cue-induced Craving and Smoking Behavior
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05426460
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY21020160
- Conditions
- Smoking Behaviors, Smoking, Cigarette
- Keywords
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Approach Avoidance Task (AAT), Smoking
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 41 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Cynthia ConklinUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Study start
- 29 Apr 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 May 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Jun 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 10 Jul 2025
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Smokers are highly reactive to smoking-related stimuli and report that this cue reactivity (CR) is a major obstacle to quitting. To date, no pharmacologic methods attenuate CR, and attempts to diminish it with traditional cue exposure treatment (CET) have not proven effective. The proposed study will test a highly novel cue-based smoking treatment adjunct combining an Approach/Avoidance Task (AAT) with brain stimulation via tDCS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during personalized multi-cue exposure; the goal of which is to discover an effective means of reducing cue reactivity and daily smoking, and increasing intent and confidence to quit, among high treatment-interest smokers.
Detailed description
Exposure to smoking-related cues robustly increases self-report craving and immediate subsequent smoking. This cue-reactivity (CR) is an often-reported obstacle to quitting among smokers. Unlike methods to diminish abstinence-induced craving, which have been highly successful with the advent of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), pharmacotherapies have not been shown to diminish smoking-related reactivity to cues. Past behavioral methods to reduce smokers' CR, most commonly extinction training through cue-exposure treatment (CET), have also consistently failed. Review of past CET studies reveals that this failure is largely due to several methodological shortcomings including: (1) presenting only proximal cues (e.g., cigarettes, ashtrays), (2) conducting passive unreinforced exposure to these limited cues, and (3) achieving only limited new learning. The researchers extensive past cue work makes them uniquely qualified to remedy these flaws by designing and testing novel CET methodology incorporating contemporary techniques and technology to reduce CR and relieve smokers of this ubiquitous source of relapse risk. The researchers propose three methods to improve CET. First, using well-tested methods for personalizing smoking cues and presenting numerous proximal, environment, and people cues in combination, the proposed cue exposure will better capture and target the cue-rich situations most likely to trigger smokers' strongest CR. Second, rather than repeated passive unreinforced exposure to cues, smokers will engage in active re-training of approach biases toward their personal smoking stimuli using an Approach/Avoidance Task (AAT), a method shown to activate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a brain region associated with both cognitive control over craving and deactivation of drug reward systems. Third, to enhance new learning, smokers will undergo non-invasive transcranial direct current brain stimulation (i.e., tDCS) of the dlPFC. Although the researchers propose each method, AAT and tDCS, should independently reduce smokers' CR to their most salient cues, providing AAT with simultaneous tDCS (AAT+tDCS) should synergistically attenuate CR by better increasing cortical excitability in the dlPFC. To assess this, a 2 x 2 active and sham-controlled test of AAT and tDCS during personalized multi-cue exposures will be used to examine pre-post training changes across several measures of smoking-related cue reactivity (cue-induced craving, cue-provoked smoking topography, and attentional bias measures of Evoked Response Potentials (ERPs) and reaction time), as well as changes in daily smoking and confidence and intent to quit pre-post training and at 1 week and 1-month follow up. The goal of this work is to develop an efficacious treatment adjunct that better prepares smokers to confront cues when they try to remain quit.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| AAT + tDCS | Experimental | Behavioral: Approach/Avoidance Task, Device: Transcranial Direct Current StimulationApproach Avoidance Task + Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex |
| AAT + sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Behavioral: Approach/Avoidance Task, Device: Sham tDCSApproach Avoidance Task with Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. |
| AC + tDCS | Active comparator | Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Behavioral: ACActive Control Task with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex |
| AC + sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Behavioral: AC, Device: Sham tDCSActive Control Task with sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 26 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Between the ages of 26 \& 55
- High treatment interest (planning to quit within the next 6 months)
- Ability to provide written informed consent
- Smoke equal or greater than 7 cigarettes per day
- Expired breath carbon monoxide (CO) equal or greater than 8 ppm at screening
Key exclusion criteria (15 listed)
- Epilepsy or Current Seizure Disorder
- Alcohol or Substance Dependence past 3 months (caffeine allowed, nicotine is part of inclusion criteria, alcohol > 14 drinks per week (M) or > 7 drinks per week (F))
- Implanted cardiac or brain medical devices
- History of epilepsy or current seizure disorder
- History of brain surgery or skull fracture
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Approach/Avoidance TaskAlso: AATThe Approach/avoidance task (AAT) training is done using a joystick. The AAT tasks involves having participants push away pictures of smoking stimuli that appear on the screen by pushing the joystick forward, and pulling in pictures of nonsmoking stimuli that appear on the screen by pulling the joystick towards themselves. Pushing smoking-related pictures away causes the picture to shrink in size, whereas pulling a picture closer causes the picture to increase in size. This task consists of 4 blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes. | Behavioural | AAT + sham tDCS, AAT + tDCS |
| Transcranial Direct Current StimulationAlso: tDCSTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation active (2.0 mA) (tDCS) will be used to temporarily increase cortical excitability of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) in healthy daily smokers. Participants assigned to active tDCS conditions will receive active (2.0 mA) tDCS, with anode electrode placement over the right dlPFC and cathode electrode placement over the left bicep. tDCS will be administered the first 20 minutes of each of the five 30 minute AAT training sessions. | Device | AAT + tDCS, AC + tDCS |
| ACDuring Active Control (AC) participants press a button on the left of right of the joystick to indicate the position the picture on a screen. Position of pictures will be balanced across the 4 blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes. | Behavioural | AC + sham tDCS, AC + tDCS |
| Sham tDCSSham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (0.1 mA) (sham tDCS) will be used as a control for active tDCS with anode electrode placement over the right dlPFC and cathode electrode placement over the left bicep. Sham tDCS will be administered during the first 20 minutes of each of the four blocks of 24 pictures, taking 30 minutes, across the 5 training sessions. | Device | AAT + sham tDCS, AC + sham tDCS |
Primary outcome
Mean Change From Baseline in 4-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges Craving Score During Cue Reactivity to Personal Cues
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 1 week
Difference between cue-induced craving rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test) on the questionnaire on smoking urges 4-items scored 0-100. Lower values indicate more reduction in cue-induced craving.
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 1 week
Difference in mean number of cigarette smoker per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 2 weeks
Difference in mean number of cigarettes smoked per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post treatment (follow-up). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Mean Change From Baseline in Number Cigarettes Smoked Daily
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Difference in mean number of cigarette smoker per day from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post treatment (follow-up). Lower number indicates greater reduction in cigarettes smoked.
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 1-week
Difference between Confidence to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test) scored 0-100. More positive score reflects an increase in confidence to quit smoking.
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 2-weeks
Difference between Confidence to Quit rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post-treatment (follow-up)
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for 5-item Confidence to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Difference between Confidence to Quit rating from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post-treatment (follow-up)
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 1-week
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to post-treatment (re-test). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 2-weeks
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 week post-treatment (follow-up). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Mean Change From Baseline in Rating Score for Intent to Quit Questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to approximately 6-weeks
Difference between Intent to Quit score from pre-treatment (Baseline) to 1 month post-treatment (follow-up). Scale is rated 1-10 from 1= "I have no thoughts about or interest in quitting smoking" to 10= "I have quit and will never go back" A positive change score indicates an increased intention to quit.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Jul 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. All of the individual participant data collected during the trial, after de-identification may be shared with other researchers.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Cynthia Conklin, PhD principal investigator
University of Pittsburgh
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Approach/Avoidance Task, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and AC in people with Smoking Behaviors and Smoking, Cigarette, run by Cynthia Conklin at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 15 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 10 Jul 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mean Change From Baseline in 4-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges Craving Score During Cue Reactivity to Personal Cues (time frame: Baseline to approximately 1 week). The study lists 10 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Jul 2025.