Recruiting

Brain stimulation and brain imaging study of attention and drinking

Plain-English translation of NCT05611502 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated October 2025 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

Researchers want to understand how your brain's attention processes influence the parts of your brain involved in emotions and social thinking, and whether these processes are linked to how much alcohol you drink. You'll receive sessions of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)—a non-invasive technique that uses magnetic pulses to gently stimulate brain activity—combined with brain imaging scans to help answer these questions.

Researchers believe that understanding how attention affects emotion and social processing in the brain could eventually help explain the connection between these brain functions and problematic drinking patterns, potentially leading to better treatments.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years or older
you live in or near the Auburn/Opelika area
you either drink moderately (at least 4-5 drinks per occasion at least twice a month, or more than 7-14 drinks per week) OR you drink very little (less than once a month and less than 7-14 drinks per week)
you are able and willing to attend three study visits over about one month

You likely don't qualify if…

you have metal implants in your body or facial tattoos that could interfere with MRI safety
you have severe claustrophobia that would prevent you from staying in an MRI scanner for up to one hour
you have a history of seizures, epilepsy in your family, or are taking medications that lower seizure risk
you have a history of stroke, brain tumor, serious head injury, or other neurological disease
you are currently experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms or have a family history of schizophrenia

What participation looks like

You will attend three study visits over about one month, each lasting around 2 hours. At your first visit, you'll have a brain MRI scan and complete survey questions about your drinking and mood. At your next two visits, you'll receive a session of transcranial magnetic stimulation (magnetic pulses applied to your scalp) followed by another brain MRI scan. The entire process is non-invasive and designed to be safe.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 24, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

United States

Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama