Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
Recruitment feasibility for deep brain stimulation compared to transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment trials for
Joseph Sakai1, Jody Tanabe2, Kristen Raymond1
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States of America.
Purpose:
Retrospective comparison of recruitment strategies for deep brain stimulation (DBS) to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for treatment-refractory methamphetamine use disorder.
Methods:
Recruitment occurred over 27 months for the DBS trial and over 12 months for the TMS trial. Data were collected from the initial screening survey through baseline assessment. Recruitment rates from the screening survey to phone screen and from phone screen to baseline assessment were compared across the 2 trials using chi square tests. Reasons for exclusions were tabulated.
Results:
Of 2892 screening survey respondents for the DBS trial, 167 were phone screened, 9 gave informed consent, and 2 completed the surgery. Of 255 screening survey respondents for the TMS trial (conservatively including 103 individuals who initiated the survey but did not answer any questions), 44 were phone screened, 16 gave consent and 6 received TMS treatments. There were higher rates of progression from screening survey to phone screen for TMS versus DBS (17% vs. 6%, respectively; p < 0.001) and from phone screen to baseline assessment (36% vs. 5%, respectively; p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Recruitment for a DBS trial of methamphetamine use disorder proved difficult. Fewer individuals with methamphetamine use disorder both qualified for and were interested in pursuing an invasive neuromodulation treatment approach, as compared to a non-invasive approach, for their disorder. Understanding reasons for recruitment failure is important for determining feasibility of future studies.
