Hormone patch may reveal why some women develop PTSD after trauma
NCT ID NCT03973229
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether the hormone estradiol influences PTSD symptoms and brain activity related to fear and stress in women. Researchers will give some participants an estradiol patch and others a placebo before MRI scans that measure brain responses to threatening cues. The study includes women with PTSD, trauma-exposed women without PTSD, and healthy controls, all of whom are naturally cycling and not on hormonal birth control.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- estradiol patch
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a way to lower PTSD risk in women by timing hormone-based interventions.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early-phase study with a small sample, so results may not apply broadly. The estradiol patch is used only briefly and may not produce lasting effects.
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
-
Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
-
127 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Nov 2019
- Finished
-
Apr 2025
- 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 35 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- 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 Hide 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: * African American women * A menstrual period within the past 60 days * Able and willing to give informed consent * Must have a smart phone and willing to install the Clue app Exclusion Criteria: * Women currently taking any form of hormone-based birth control or other hormonal supplement * Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding * Current psychoactive medication use * Nicotine use or smoking * Hypercoagulable conditions * History of embolism * Current symptoms of psychosis or bipolar disorder * History of major head injury or neurological disorder * Weight \>250lbs (a maximum weight to allow for participants to fit comfortably inside the bore of the MRI machine) and typical physical contraindications for MRI such as metal implants
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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
-
Grady Memorial Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, United States
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