Feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation as a Novel Treatment for Refractory Opioid Use Disorder (DBS_OUD)

July 16, 2025 updated by: Ali Rezai, West Virginia University

Feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation as a Novel Treatment for Refractory

The purpose of this clinical study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral internal capsule (VC) for participants with treatment refractory opioid use disorder (OUD) who have cognitive, behavioral, and functional disability. This study will also provide critical information for planning subsequent clinical trials.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The overarching goal of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, feasibility and impact on outcomes of NAc/VC DBS for treatment refractory OUD. In treatment refractory OUD, innovative approaches and more invasive interventions including DBS are warranted to improve outcomes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
4

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • West Virginia
      • Morgantown, West Virginia, United States, 26506
        • West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Fulfills current DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed, 2013) diagnostic criteria for OUD (severe) and at least a 5-year history.
  • Participants may have comorbid SUD diagnoses at mild, moderate or severe levels, however OUD must be the primary disorder for which the individual is seeking treatment and the other use disorders must occur in the context of relapse
  • Failed at least two levels of treatment (outpatient/Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Treatment (COAT), intensive outpatient/intensive COAT, residential, inpatient, Adult Intensive Outpatient Program (AIOP), Dual Diagnosis Unit (DDU), which included buprenorphine/naloxone.
  • At least two overdose survivals or one overdose survival and one life-threatening infectious disease complication with relapse after treatment (e.g., endocarditis with valve repair/replacement) within the past 1 year.
  • Family/Social Support/Involvement (as assessed via the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support).
  • Is able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Medical problems requiring intensive medical or diagnostic management.
  • Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest within the previous 6 months.
  • History of a neurosurgical ablation procedure.
  • Any medical contraindications to undergoing DBS surgery.
  • History of hemorrhagic stroke.
  • Life expectancy of <3 years
  • Past or present diagnosis of schizophrenia, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or untreated depression other than one determined to be substance induced (assessed via SCID-5). Any treated depression has to have been in remission for one year.
  • Baseline assessment on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) of greater than 17 or increased risk of suicide based upon any positive response on the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale.
  • Cluster A or B Personality Disorders.
  • Diagnosis of dementia.
  • History of neurological disorder.
  • History of previous neurosurgery (brain) or head trauma.
  • History of suicide attempt.
  • Parental history of completed suicide.
  • Abnormal coagulation lab studies or uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Implanted neurostimulators.
  • Any current CNS infection or infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
  • Unable to undergo MR-imaging.
  • Documentation of MRI abnormality indicative of a neurological condition.
  • Substance abuse treatment mandated by court of law.
  • Pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
  • Conditions requiring diathermy.
  • Anticoagulant treatment.
  • Primary language other than English.
  • Any evidence of systemic infection.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: OUD DBS
This is a single arm study. Participants will be followed in an inpatient service for two weeks to gather baseline data followed by DBS placement and up to 6 weeks inpatient for clinical stabilization and DBS titration. All participants will then be followed twice a week for 12 weeks in the outpatient setting and then once a week for a total of 52 weeks post-titration.
Device: Deep Brain Simulator
This is an open-label, safety, tolerability, and feasibility study for participants who have treatment refractory OUD that are eligible to have DBS targeting the NAc/VC.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Total Number of Study-Emergent Adverse Events
Time Frame: Enrollment - 52 weeks
Study participants will be closely monitored for adverse events following DBS surgery with regular check-ups by study personnel.
Enrollment - 52 weeks
Change in Opioid Use
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Opioid use as measured by quantitative urine toxicology via high pressure liquid chromatography.
12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Participant Survival
Time Frame: 12 -52 weeks
Incidence of drug overdose deaths among the participants.
12 -52 weeks
Treatment Retention
Time Frame: 12 - 52 weeks
Participants' retention in traditional medication assisted treatment (MAT).
12 - 52 weeks
Incidence of Serious Infectious Disease Complications
Time Frame: 12 - 52 weeks
Laboratory tests and evaluation to discern presentation of infectious disease.
12 - 52 weeks
Mood, Craving and Executive Function
Time Frame: 12 and 24 weeks post surgery
Participants will complete standardized measures of mood, drug craving, and executive function at 12 weeks and 24 weeks post DBS titration.
12 and 24 weeks post surgery

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Frontal Lobe Metabolism
Time Frame: 3 weeks and 12 weeks post surgery
18fluoro-Deoxy-Glucose (FDG) PET will be use to determine if there is an increase in frontal lobe metabolism following DBS
3 weeks and 12 weeks post surgery
Changes in Dopamine
Time Frame: 3 weeks and 12 weeks post surgery
C11 Raclopride PET may be used to examine for changes in dopamine at 12 weeks post titration.
3 weeks and 12 weeks post surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
West Virginia University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Medtronic

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ali R Rezai, MD, West Virginia University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 30, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 10, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 13, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 15, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 28, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 16, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 1903499841
  • 1UG3DA047714-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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