Electroencephalographic biofeedback in heroin craving

Background Craving is the intense desire to take a drug again, which is the main cause of relapse. There are qualitative changes in the electroencephalographic (EEG) of heroin addicts in early abstinence, which we aimed to correct using EEG biofeedback. Aim Assessment of the effectiveness of EEG biofeedback in the management of heroin craving. Patients and methods This randomized controlled study was carried out on 40 patients’ males aged from 20 to 50 years old. Addicts abusing one substance only (heroin) received at least 3 months of pharmacological treatment. Patients were randomly assigned into equal groups using block randomization; group I: treated by EEG biofeedback after 3 months of abstinence and continued on pharmacotherapy. Sessions were done every other day for 20 sessions. Group II: control group matching with patients group treated only by pharmacotherapy. Results There was a significant difference between sensorimotor rhythm and alpha amplitude with higher sensorimotor rhythm and alpha amplitude in the experimental group than in the control group, which means increased attention and decrease anxiety in the experimental group. The mean brief substance craving scale was significantly decreased in the experimental than in the control group, which indicated less heroin craving. The mean total score of the general health questionnaire of the experimental group decreased significantly, which means that there was an improvement in psychological health in comparison to the control group. Conclusions EEG biofeedback, in addition to pharmacotherapy, is an effective noninvasive method for the acute reduction of heroin craving after heroin abstinence in comparison to pharmacotherapy alone.