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  • Study to determine the best way to deliver repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in order to reduce smoking cravings.

Participants needed for a study to determine the best way to deliver repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in order to reduce smoking cravings.

Psychology Research

If you qualify, you will receive $470 for completion of the study

You may be eligible to participate if:

  • Have smoked at least 8 cigarettes a day for at least 6 months. It’s ok if you also vape.
  • Are not currently receiving smoking cessation treatment of any kind and are not planning to quit smoking in the next few months
  • Have not had treatment with TMS before
  • Have no history of epilepsy or seizure disorder
  • Have no metal or medical implants in your body that cannot be removed (e.g. aneurysm clips, a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, etc.)
  • Have no known neurological disorder (e.g. Parkinson’s) or history of a traumatic brain injury

What to expect:

  1. You will complete 3 testing sessions, about 1 week apart, each lasting about 3.5 hours.
  2. Before the sessions, you will meet with a researcher online or in person for ~30 minutes and do some training to get ready for the in-person sessions.
  3. For each in-person session, you will come to the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute.
  4. In each session you will first provide a urine sample for a drug screen.
  5. You will then complete some questionnaires and receive ~17 minutes of rTMS. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that has recently been approved by the FDA as a treatment for smoking cessation.
  6. Complete a brain imaging session, during which you will perform some tasks and complete smoking craving ratings
  7. Be paid for your time and participation

If interested, please complete the Eligibility form

For more information, contact Anna Isbreg at aei00004@mix.wvu.edu or Mariya Cherkasova at mariya.cherkasova@mail.wvu.edu.

IRB approval is on file.