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Brain zaps reveal secrets of fear in PTSD patients

NCT ID NCT05368987

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called TMS affects the brain's fear circuits. Researchers will test different TMS settings in 250 people with and without PTSD to see how it changes fear-related brain activity and skin responses. The goal is to learn how to improve fear extinction, which is often impaired in PTSD.

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 250 people

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

Started

Feb 2022

Expected to finish

Sep 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 70 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

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: * Willing and able to provide informed consent. * Inclusion Criteria for PTSD Subjects - Diagnosis of current PTSD * Inclusion Criteria: Healthy Controls (HC) - no current psychiatric disorders ("Axis I" disorders) Exclusion Criteria: * Lifetime history of seizure or significant head trauma or other significant neurologic disease (e.g., tic disorder) * History of serious/significant psychiatric diagnoses ("Axis I" diagnoses) * Current significant suicidal ideation, plan or intent or suicidal behavior in past 6 months based on CSSRS and clinical judgment or Self-injurious behavior that involves suicidal intent, requires medical attention, or occurs daily * Use of neuroleptics within one year prior to study * Current substance use * Pregnancy (to be ruled out by urine β-HCG). * Metallic implants or devices contraindicating magnetic resonance imaging. * Currently taking medications that lower the seizure threshold. These include antipsychotics, high dose theophylline or stimulants such as methylphenidate. Patients taking bupropion must be on a stable dose (\*last 3 months) and take less than or equal to 300 mg/day. * Implanted devices in subject's head (shunts, cochlear implants); metal in subject's head (other than dental implants). * High risk of adverse emotional or behavioral reaction, and/or an inability to understand study procedures or the informed consent process * Additional exclusion criteria for Healthy controls (HC) group: Current psychiatric diagnosis ("Axis I" diagnosis)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-traumatic stress disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

PTSD

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.

    Open the record ↗

  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

  • UTHealth Houston

    RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77054, United States

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