Could a magnet zap away PTSD?
NCT ID NCT06434766
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether a type of magnetic brain stimulation called iTBS can help people with PTSD. Researchers will give 140 adults either real or fake (sham) stimulation to see if it reduces symptoms like flashbacks and anxiety. The goal is to find a new, non-drug treatment option.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, non-drug way to reduce PTSD symptoms and improve quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with no phase, so results are uncertain. The treatment may not work better than a sham procedure, and some people may experience discomfort or no benefit.
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
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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
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About 140 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2024
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * Aged between 18 to 65 years old * Right handedness * Have a diagnosis of PTSD meeting DSM-5 criteria * CAPS-5 score\>35 * Under stable medication for at least four weeks * Capable of independently reading and understanding study materials and providing informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Current (or past if appropriate) significant neurological or medical disorder, or lifetime history of 1) seizure disorder; 2) primary or secondary CNS tumors; 3) stroke; or 4) cerebral aneurysm. * Primary psychotic disorder, bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, or personality disorders * Lifetime history of attempted suicide or HAMD-17 suicide item (item 3) ≥ 3 points * Implanted device (deep brain stimulation) or metal in the brain; a pacemaker, extensive dental work, or any magnetic metal implants and upper body tattoos if choose to do fMRI * Previous experience of rTMS * Pregnancy/lactation, or planning to become pregnant during the study * Current under psychological or other physical treatments
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
5 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
RECRUITINGHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine
RECRUITINGHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Shanghai Mental Health Center
RECRUITINGShanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
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The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University
RECRUITINGNingbo, Zhejiang, China
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Tongji Hospital of Tongji University
RECRUITINGShanghai, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a blood pressure drug rewrite trauma memories to ease fibromyalgia?
- Can adding social support to trauma therapy ease PTSD in youth?
- Can ketamine rewire fear memories to ease PTSD?
- Rewiring the mind after trauma: a new therapy aims to change how we process painful events