New 5-Day TMS treatment could rapidly ease PTSD symptoms
NCT ID NCT07245641
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
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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
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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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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
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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- Zapping the Brain's fear hub: a new hope for PTSD?
- Grappling with trauma: could martial arts ease first Responders' stress?