Modulating food craving-related neural oscillations using tACS: study protocol for a randomized sham-controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical Engineering

Background:

• Food addiction involves intense cravings and poor impulse control, leading to compulsive eating and obesity.
• Current treatments for food addiction have limited long-term success.
• Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) offers a non-invasive method to modulate brain activity and potentially regulate craving circuits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of fixed-frequency tACS on food cravings, inhibitory control, and neural oscillations.
• To determine if tACS can reduce craving intensity and improve inhibitory performance in individuals with food addiction.
• To explore the effectiveness of tACS targeting the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial with 175 participants (aged 20-55) stratified by food addiction status.
• Seven consecutive days of tACS (alpha or theta frequency) over the DLPFC, ACC, or insula.
• Pre- and post-intervention assessments using electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0).

Main Results:

• Changes in craving intensity and inhibitory control were primary outcomes.
• Secondary outcomes included alterations in neural oscillations and functional connectivity.
• Hypothesized that theta-tACS over ACC/insula enhances inhibitory control and interoceptive awareness, while alpha-tACS over DLPFC improves top-down regulation.

Conclusions:

• tACS demonstrates potential as a novel intervention for compulsive eating and food addiction.
• The study aims to elucidate the neural mechanisms of food cravings.
• Further research is warranted to optimize tACS protocols for food addiction treatment.