Brain implants to treat addictions: UK to test a technique that sounds like science fiction
British scientists from the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and King’s College London are to test a technique that sounds like something out of a futuristic series: they will implant electrodes in the brain to treat addictions to alcohol and drugs.

The aim is to investigate whether deep brain stimulation – a technology already used for Parkinson’s disease, depression and OCD – can reduce cravings. The study will be carried out at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and King’s College Hospital in London.

Beyond the laboratory, the question the study leaves is profound: how far are we willing to go to change the brain when we cannot do it with willpower?

How does it work?

The technique consists of placing electrodes in specific areas of the brain related to motivation and decision making. These electrodes will be connected to an impulse generator implanted in the chest, something similar to a pacemaker, but for the brain.

The electrical impulses are sent in a controlled manner, with the aim of “interrupting” the brain circuits that generate the desire to consume. This is neither a quick nor a universal solution, but it could offer new hope for those who have tried everything without success.

Who can participate?

The trial will include people with at least five years of addiction and three relapses after conventional treatments. In other words: those who have tried everything and are still struggling.

Why does it matter?

In the United Kingdom, hundreds of thousands of people are living with alcohol dependence, and opioids are behind nearly half of all overdose deaths. Faced with this reality, researchers are betting that precision technology can make a difference where traditional therapies have failed.