Brain waves and sleep may hold the key to personalized PTSD therapy
NCT ID NCT07766798
First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026
Summary
This study explores whether brain activity and sleep patterns can predict how well people with PTSD respond to Written Exposure Therapy, a brief therapy involving structured writing about a traumatic event. About 200 adults with PTSD will be randomly assigned to either this therapy or a neutral writing task, with EEG and sleep tracking before, during, and after treatment. The goal is to identify biomarkers that signal improvement early and help personalize PTSD care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Written Exposure Therapy (a brief trauma-focused psychotherapy involving structured writing exercises)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help doctors predict who will benefit from Written Exposure Therapy for PTSD, personalizing treatment and improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage biomarker study, not a treatment trial. The findings may not translate into clinical practice, and the therapy itself may not work for everyone.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Oaks Building
Belmont, Massachusetts, 02478, United States
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