Effectiveness of Combined Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Community Reinforcement Approach for Smoking Cessation

Abstract

Background: Among smokers who are aware of the ill effects of smoking, are interested in quitting. Their quitting efforts consist of simple clinical counseling and medications. Based on a review of the literature, the purpose of this research was to determine the impact of combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which is one method for manipulating brain circuitry, and the community reinforcement approach (CRA), which is based on the concept that contextual factors may either encourage or discourage substance addiction and emphasizes constructive social support alternatives as the most effective technique utilized for smoking cessation.

Method: It was an experimental study, that included 60 male smokers, aged 20 years to 45 years divided into two equal groups. The first group received both the rTMS intervention and the CRA therapy sessions, whereas the second group only received the rTMS intervention.

Main Findings: The findings of the study revealed that group 1, which received both rTMS and CRA indicated that higher levels of smoking behavior at pretreatment subsequently decreased in the post-treatment and follow-up whereas group 2, which received only rTMS indicated that higher levels of smoking behavior at pretreatment subsequently decreased in the post-treatment and subsequently increased in the follow-up.

Conclusions: It was concluded that participants who received both CRA and rTMS were higher on smoking cessation as compared to the participants who received only rTMS sessions.