Overview
Alcohol amnestic disorder is a persistent memory impairment often resulting from chronic alcohol use. A key component of management involves addressing the underlying alcohol use disorder, where repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown efficacy in reducing alcohol craving 1.Management
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) significantly reduces alcohol craving immediately post-treatment in patients with alcohol use disorders 1.
A treatment course consisting of a minimum of 10 rTMS sessions is required to achieve significant reduction in craving 1.
The reduction in alcohol craving following active rTMS can be sustained for up to 3 months 1.
Stimulation targeting the medial prefrontal cortex may be more effective for craving reduction than targeting the right or left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, though current evidence for this specific target is limited 1.Key Recommendations
Administer a minimum of 10 sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to achieve an immediate reduction in alcohol craving 1. (Evidence: Strong)
Utilize rTMS to provide a sustained reduction in alcohol craving for up to 3 months post-intervention 1. (Evidence: Strong)
Consider targeting the medial prefrontal cortex during rTMS for potentially greater efficacy in craving reduction compared to dorsolateral prefrontal targets 1. (Evidence: Moderate)References
1 Treiber M, Tsapakis EM, Fountoulakis K. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Alcohol Craving in Alcohol Use Disorders: A Meta-analysis. Journal of addiction medicine 2025. link