New 5-Day TMS treatment could rapidly ease PTSD symptoms

NCT ID NCT07245641

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tests a new form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unlike standard TMS, which takes 6-7 weeks, this accelerated version delivers 10 sessions per day for 5 days. Researchers will enroll 40 adults with PTSD to see if active TMS reduces symptoms more than a sham (fake) treatment. The goal is to find a faster, more practical option for people with PTSD, especially military personnel.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a rapid, non-invasive treatment option for PTSD that works in just 5 days instead of weeks.
What could go wrong
This is an early, small study (40 people) testing a new brain target for PTSD. It may not work better than sham, and results may not apply to everyone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Dec 2025

Expected to finish

Jan 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria * Age 18-65 * DSM-5 diagnosis of PTSD per PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) * At least moderate symptoms of PTSD per PCL-5 (≥21) * English proficiency sufficient to understand risks/benefits * No new medications or medication increases before, during, or after aTMS * Primary clinician (e.g. psychiatrist, therapist, psychologist, APRN, PA, etc.) responsible for psychiatric care before, during, and after the trial * Agreement to lifestyle considerations: * Abstain from becoming pregnant from screening to one-month after treatment (the MRI visit) * Continue usual intake patterns of caffeine- or xanthine-containing products (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) throughout treatment * No changes to routine intake of alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs if patients are using them at baseline for at least 24 hours before the start of each MRI and TMS session

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

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