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Brain zaps boost therapy for PTSD in troops with head injuries

NCT ID NCT07715799

Symptom relief Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a gentle brain stimulation technique called tDCS can make a standard talk therapy for PTSD work better. Military personnel and veterans with both PTSD and a history of mild to moderate traumatic brain injury will receive five weekly sessions of written exposure therapy. Half will also get real tDCS to the front of the brain, while the other half gets a sham version. Researchers will track PTSD and brain injury symptoms for six months after treatment.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with written exposure therapy (WET)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a more effective, non-drug treatment for PTSD in people with traumatic brain injury.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage trial with a moderate number of participants. The sham group may also improve, and results may not apply to all PTSD patients.

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 150 people

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

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Sep 2030

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 70 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: 1. U.S military service member or veteran (18-70 years old) 2. PTSD diagnosis as assessed by Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Scale (CAPS-5-R) 3. History of mild to moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 4. Able to speak, read, and write in English (due to assessment measures and writing intervention) Exclusion Criteria: 1. TBI that occurred within the past three months prior to the baseline assessment 2. History of significant intracranial pathology (e.g., severe TBI) 3. History of major neurological disorder (e.g., epilepsy, dementia) 4. Metallic objects other than dental appliances/fillings above the shoulders. 5. Electronic implants that could be susceptible to electrical current (e.g., cardiac pacemaker) 6. History of skin condition at site of stimulation (e.g., psoriasis) 7. Current suicidal ideation severe enough to warrant immediate attention 8. Current manic episode or psychotic symptoms requiring immediate stabilization or hospitalization 9. Current substance use requiring stabilization or hospitalization 10. Change in anti-convulsive or benzodiazepine medication regimen in past month. 11. History of adverse effects to previous noninvasive brain stimulation. 12. Concurrent engagement in another noninvasive brain stimulation or trauma focused psychotherapy. 13. Currently pregnant or breastfeeding.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-traumatic stress disorder traumatic brain injury

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Post-traumatic stress disorder

How to take part

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  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.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

    San Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States

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