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A Man in China Had Electrodes Implanted in His Brain to Treat His Meth Addiction. How Could It Work?

A man in China who spent years battling a methamphetamine addiction has had a device inserted into his brain to treat his addiction, according to news reports.

A man in China who spent years battling a methamphetamine addiction has had a device inserted into his brain to treat his addiction, according to news reports.

The man is a participant in one of the world's first clinical trials to use deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat drug addiction, according to The Independent. More than six months following the surgical procedure at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital, he remains drug-free.

But what is DBS, and why are some researchers turning to it in attempts to treat addiction?

DBS involves surgically implanting a pacemaker-like device into a specific area of the brain, said Dr. Ashesh Mehta, director of epilepsy surgery at Northwell Health's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Great Neck, New York. An electrical current passes through the device, delivering tiny electrical shocks to the targeted area.

In theory, "in patients with drug addiction, the electrical current targets the area of the brain that controls cravings, thereby reducing the need for drugs," said Mehta, who was not involved with the Chinese man's case. This area of the brain is called the nucleus accumbens.

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