NCT04563078

Effect of TMS on PTSD Biomarkers

Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) on PTSD Neuroimaging and Psychophysiological Biomarkers

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 63 (actual)
• Sponsor: Emory University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The study will (1) assess feasibility of a TMS treatment in an underserved population; (2) determine if this TMS treatment protocol improves PTSD symptoms and biological markers of PTSD such as brain functioning and startle responses; (3) define new brain targets for future TMS studies; (4) provide the first data for individual differences, which will help personalize treatment for PTSD patients; (5) improve knowledge of the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment response.

Detailed description

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in response to a traumatic event, and half of civilians living in inner-city areas with high levels of violence suffer from PTSD. The currently recommended treatment for PTSD is focused on discussing the trauma, but a third to half of patients cannot participate or do not benefit from this treatment, especially individuals with low levels of education or literacy. Therefore, new treatments for PTSD are needed. The study will (1) assess feasibility of a TMS treatment in an underserved population; (2) determine if this TMS treatment protocol improves PTSD symptoms and biological markers of PTSD such as brain functioning and startle responses; (3) define new brain targets for future TMS studies; (4) provide the first data for individual differences, which will help personalize treatment for PTSD patients; (5) improve knowledge of the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment response.

Conditions

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)	10-day treatment (2 per day with 10 minute break, 20 sessions in total) of active Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). TMS is a noninvasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to induce a small electric current in specific brain regions.
PROCEDURE	Sham Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)	10-day treatment (2 per day with 10 minute break, 20 sessions in total) of sham control.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-02-15
• Primary completion: 2025-03-28
• Completion: 2025-09-28
• First posted: 2020-09-24
• Last updated: 2025-10-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study