Stanford’s Casey Halpern and Allen Ho have used deep brain stimulation to target nucleus accumbens, thought to reduce impulsive behavior, to combat alcoholism in animal and pilot human studies.

DBS is used in severe Parkinson’s disease and is not approved by the FDA for addiction. Infection and other complications are risks of this invasive surgery.

ApplySci hopes that strides in behavioral therapy, including Alcoholics Anonymous, will continue to improve outcomes in addicted individuals, diminishing the need for invasive procedures.

The Stanford studywas published in Neurosurgical Focus.