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Brain test may help match PTSD patients to the right antidepressant

NCT ID NCT04183205

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
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 Results may not be published yet.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 This study
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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 aimed to see if a simple brain-wave test (LDAEP) could predict which veterans with PTSD or depression would improve with the SSRI medication sertraline (Zoloft). Participants took sertraline or a placebo for 14 weeks while researchers measured their brain activity and PTSD symptoms. The study was terminated early and enrolled only 19 people, so it cannot provide clear answers.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
sertraline (Zoloft)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could lead to a simple brain test that helps doctors choose the right antidepressant for each person with PTSD or depression.
What could go wrong
The study was terminated early with only 19 participants, so results are very limited. The brain-wave test may not reliably predict treatment response in real-world settings.

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

Phase 4

Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.

Participants

19 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2019

Finished

Mar 2025

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.

Who can take part

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

Ages

18 to 75 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. has a history of trauma exposure as defined by criterion A of PTSD in the DSM-5 2. meets diagnostic criteria for PTSD, subthreshold PTSD, or MDD as defined by DSM-5 3. study psychiatrist's judgment that SSRIs are an acceptable treatment option for the participant's presenting concerns, and 4. interest in starting a trial of an SSRI Exclusion Criteria: * current or past history of bipolar I disorder, schizophrenic or other psychotic disorders * current organic brain disorder including severe traumatic brain injury, factitious disorder, or malingering * pregnancy * major neurological problems * current moderate or severe substance use disorder * active risk to self or others * evidence of clinically significant hepatic or renal disease or any other acute or unstable medical condition that might interfere with safe conduct of the study * intolerance or hypersensitivity to sertraline * failed past trial of sertraline (confirmed by medical record review) * use of drugs that directly affect the serotonin system (e.g., SNRIs, antipsychotics) within 3 months of the study * use of an SSRI within 3 months of the study. Use of other psychotropic medications must have been stable for 3 months prior to enrollment and remain stable throughout participation * hearing impairment for 780 Hz tones * current enrollment in trauma-focused psychotherapy * for those participants who currently have a non-VA or VA psychiatrist or primary care provider who is willing to prescribe medications, they must be willing to sign a release of information (ROI) for study staff to communicate with their providers and the provider believes that including the participant in the study is potentially appropriate. * As discussed above, the investigators will inform the participant that the investigators will share the following information with their current relevant care provider: * information about the design of the study, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the participant's psychiatric and medical diagnoses as well as illness severity, as assessed in the screening evaluation, and any history of safety issues such as risk to self or others. * If the participant doesn't sign a release of release of information (ROI) to contact the provider, the participant will not be entered into the active study.

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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

  • Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-5703, United States

  • VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MA

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02130-4817, United States

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