The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of tDCS in increasing empathy and reducing violent behavior in offenders with substance abuse problems.Through stimulation (and/or inhibiting) certain areas of the brain, tDCS causes a change…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Personality disorders and disturbances in behaviour
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The study investigates the effectiveness of tDCS to change the learning process
of the brain cells through electrical stimulation and with that to increase
empathic abilities and reduce violence risk in offenders with substance abuse
problems. To test the effect of the intervention on the level of empathy,
patients will perform a passive viewing task in which they see victims of
aggression and rate the degree of empathy they feel.
To test the effect of the intervention on aggression, the Point Subtraction
Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) will be used. As a standard for effectiveness of the
reduction of violent behaviour before and after the tDCS intervention next to
the aggression task (PSAP-task) the results of the K-items of the HKT-R risk
assessment tool before and after the intervention will be compared.
To measure the degree of brain changes in empathy caused by the intervention,
electro-encephalography (EEG) will be used. The expectation is that patients
who receive tDCS intervention will show higher amplitude in EEG towards the
pictures of the victims after the intervention and compared patients who have
received the sham-condition.
Secondary outcome
Secundary, we also aim to see whether there will be a reduction of craving in
the patients after the tDCS intervention.
Background summary
Substance abuse problems have an important relationship with criminal behavior.
These problems occur in 50-75% of the offenders, and cost the community about
600 milliard due to costs of crime, work-related problems and especially
(mental) healthcare. Problems that substance abuse patients cause are an
enormous burden to the community (financial and safety). Previous research has
found that substance abuse, especially alcohol and cocaine, are related to
(violent) criminal behavior. Money invested in treatment may lead to a large
reduction in the costs associated with substance abuse.
Nevertheless, current interventions seem insufficient in treatment of substance
abuse in forensic mental health care and are not sufficient enough to reduce
violence risk, 66% of the patients reoffend. This could be due to the fact that
problem is caused by a complex medical-psychiatric disorder, occurring within a
poor motivated population, in which the prolonged usage of substances has led
to functional and structural changes in the brain.
Recent studies show that changes in the brain areas related to less empathic
abilities (i.e. the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC) and insula) plays an
important role in violent behavior in abusers of alcohol and cocaine.
According to the recent models of for example James Blair, violent behavior is
supposed t be inhibited by empathy. Individuals with less empathic abilities
may be less susceptible and motivated to inhibit violent behaviour, which
causes a higher risk of violence. Recent neuroscientific research shows that
modulating (stimulation or inhibition) of certain brain areas, such as the
neurostimulation technique Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS),
could be a promising new intervention for substance abuse and to reduce violent
behavior.
Study objective
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of tDCS in increasing
empathy and reducing violent behavior in offenders with substance abuse
problems.
Through stimulation (and/or inhibiting) certain areas of the brain, tDCS causes
a change in the function of the brain, due to an increase in susceptibility to
generate and facilitate brain related electrical impulses. This susceptibility
is achieved through repeatedly offer brain stimulation and this causes
*learning* of the brain cells. Functions of the brain damaged and changed by
the substance abuse will be recovered.
Study design
The design will be a single-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Intervention
25 patients will receive the experimental condition + treatment as usual (TAU)
and the other 25 patients will receive a sham condition (placebo) + TAU.
Study burden and risks
Participation in the study will not lead to any risk for the patients. tDCS is
a save and non-invasive method. Patients do have to invest time for
participation in the study sessions.
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam 3062 PA
NL
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam 3062 PA
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
* Male
* Age 18-60
* Good understanding of the Dutch language
* Diagnosed with an alcohol and/or cocaine SUD according to the DSM-5
* Patients have to be abstinent
* Index offence in violence category
Exclusion criteria
* Major neurological conditions (e.g. traumatic brain injury).
* Major mental disorders (i.e. major depression, psychotic symptoms)
Design
Recruitment
Medical products/devices used
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL65209.078.18 |
| OMON | NL-OMON21270 |