Cognitive Retraining and Brain Stimulation for Alcohol Use

The overarching goal of this study is to determine whether combined cognitive training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) reduces drinking in high-risk drinkers. To this end, specific study purposes are: 1) replicate previous findings that cognitive retraining reduces drinking levels, 2) test whether cognitive retraining can be enhanced with tDCS, and 3) investigate the neural changes that result from cognitive retraining and tDCS. We hypothesize that those participants who receive alcohol avoidance cognitive training will have greater reductions in drinking. In turn, those participants who receive a higher level of applied tDCS during alcohol avoidance response training will have better avoidance learning, as well as, a larger reduction in drinking behavior. Finally, those participants receiving a higher level of applied tDCS will have more neuronal response associated with alcohol avoidance during the brain imaging session.