Research Studies

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Behavioral Activation for Substance Use

Smartphone App
Substance use disorder is associated with a reduction in sensitivity to non-substance reward. The Life Enhancement Treatment for Substance Use (LETS ACT) is a behavioral activation treatment that aims to increase enjoyment and engagement in rewarding non-substance using activities. Our recent study demonstrated that LETS ACT increases the likelihood of maintaining abstinence up to 1-year post treatment compared to a control condition. We developed a smartphone app for LETS ACT to increase the availability of the treatment outside of clinician administered sessions, and are currently evaluating its long term effectiveness.
PI: Stacey Daughters; NIH R012DA026424 (2015-2020)

Harm Reduction for Injection Drug Use
The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of behavioral activation as a low-threshold substance use intervention for people who inject drugs. PI: Catherine Paquette; 1F31DA049457 (2019-2022)

BA and Methadone Maintenance for Opiate Use Disorder in China
Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been widely implemented across China to address the opioid crisis, yet untreated depression continues to compromise the long-term success of MMT. This randomized control trial aims to test the efficacy and feasibility of a Chinese translation BA for substance use among 90 individuals with opiate use disorder concurrently receiving MMT in Wuhan, China. PIs: Yun Chen; Stacey Daughters; Wang Zhou; data collection complete

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Noninvasive Brain Stimulation

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
TACS is a form of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) that modulates the neural oscillations that contribute to mechanisms of substance use disorder. We have tested the feasibility of administering tACS in community based substance use treatment settings, and are continuing this line of research to test the effect of tACS on SUD phenotypes such as reward sensitivity and inhibitory control, with the long term goal of testing the effect of tACS combined with behavioral treatment on recovery from substance use disorder. PI: Stacey Daughters; Co-PIs: Flavio Frohlich, Jennifer Yi; Ongoing

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Neuroimaging

Neural Response to Reward and Treatment Response
We are using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test how individual differences in neural response to reward are associated with substance use treatment engagement, as well as the effect of treatment on changes in reward sensitivity.
PI: Stacey Daughters, NIH R012DA026424 (2015-2020); Co-I: Gabriel Dichter; Ongoing

Distress Tolerance
The aim of these series of studies is to test the association between distress tolerance and task based and resting-state connectivity within and between neural networks among individuals with a cocaine use disorder PIs: Elizabeth Reese, Stacey Daughters; Co-Is: Tom Ross, Elliot Stein; Ongoing