Tapping away trauma? brain study hints EMDR technique may calm emotional reactivity
NCT ID NCT07550556
First seen Apr 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 20, 2026 · Updated 11 times
Summary
This study tested whether a single 15-minute session of Butterfly Tapping, a self-administered EMDR technique, could change brain activity in 46 young adults with PTSD. Participants either did the tapping or sat still while their brain waves were recorded. The tapping group showed a reduction in a brain signal linked to emotional processing, suggesting the technique might help dampen reactivity to negative images. However, this was a small, early-stage study focused on brain signals, not symptoms, so more research is needed.
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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University of Rome Foro Italico
Rome, RM, 00135, Italy
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Butterfly Tapping (a self-administered alternating bilateral stimulation technique)
What this could lead to
If confirmed, this could point toward a simple, drug-free technique to help people with PTSD manage emotional distress.
What could go wrong
This was a very small, single-session study with only 46 participants. It measured brain signals, not real-world symptoms, so it is far from proving any lasting benefit.
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.