Recruiting

Neuromodulation & Neurorehabilitation

Sponsor:

Northwestern University

Code:

NCT03819608

Conditions

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

real iTBS

real APT

placebo APT

placebo iTBS

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will determine (i) the magnitude of immediate and sustained effects of a current clinical standard interactive computer attention processing training (APT) when combined with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a type of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and (ii) determine how APT + iTBS changes the neurocognitive system of attention in individuals with persistent attention deficits related to mTBI +/- PTSD.

Conditions

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study ID

NCT03819608

Start date

Apr 1, 2021

Status verified date

Oct, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least 18 years of age and no older than 80 years of age
  • 3 months post exposure to mTBI event
  • Have a history of mTBI with PTSD OR mTBI without PTSD as defined by formalized measures to classify mTBI based on the Symptom Attribution and Classification Algorithm (SACA) and the PTSD Module L of the SCID
  • Endorse at least moderate severity on at least one of the four cognitive complaints in the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participating in another research study
  • Non-fluent in English (speaking and reading)
  • History of epilepsy pre-injury
  • Receiving antiepileptic treatment for documented active seizures in the past 6 months
  • Taking medications that lower seizure threshold including antipsychotics, trazodone and tramadol
  • History of surgery on blood vessels in brain and/or valves of the heart
  • History of brain hemorrhage, neurovascular conditions and neurodegenerative disorders
  • History or current diagnosis of psychotic spectrum disorders (i.e. bipolar, schizophrenia)
  • Significant heart disease as determined by physician review of medical chart
  • Pregnant at time of enrollment or any time during study participation
  • MRI or TMS/iTBS contraindications such as claustrophobia, metal in eyes/face or brain
  • Cardiac pacemakers/defibrillators, cochlear implants, nerve stimulators, intracranial metal clips
  • Diagnosis of moderate or severe TBI (loss of consciousness > 30 minutes, alteration of consciousness > 24 hours, post traumatic amnesia or neuropsychological testing results
  • Prescribed dosage of mental health medications have been altered within the month preceding study screening. Any participant whose mental health medication(s) has/have changed, within 30 days of study screening. The following are considered a medication change: the addition of or discontinuation of medication, a change in the dose or dosage (daily amount) of medication.
  • Taking prescribed CNS stimulants and choosing to not stop these medications during study participation
  • Taking prescribed CNS stimulants and choosing to not stop these medications during study participation
  • Testing positive for opiates and do not have a prescription for opiates. If on prescription opiates and taking more than the equivalent of 200 mg of morphine per day.
  • Questionably valid test performance as indicated by a score of ≤ 85% on the Immediate Recognition, Delayed Recognition or Consistency Scales of the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT) and clinical determination of questionable performance validity by a neuropsychologist on the research team
  • Actively suicidal as evidenced by plan to harm or recent attempt communicated on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V (SCID-5).
  • Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP) as evidenced through a funduscopic evaluation or on the baseline MRI scan.
  • Moderate or severe cannabis use disorder defined by ≥ 4 symptoms on the SCID-5
  • Severe alcohol use disorder defined by ≥ 6 symptoms on the SCID-5
  • Baseline systolic BP greater or equal to 170

Study Design

Enrollment

200 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Factorial

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: real APT+ real iTBS

real APT+ real iTBS included 30 1-hour treatment sessions will be provided 3/week. Sessions will be conducted for 10 weeks. APT-III is a computer based cognitive training program. iTMS will be applied at 5Hz rate; each burst consists of 3 pulses delivered at 50Hz rate. The bursts are applied for 2s with 8s inter-burst-intervals, for a total of 600 pulses. The total stimulation time per session is approximately 192s (\~ 3 minutes). Participants randomized to active iTBS will receive stimulation at the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 80% active motor threshold .

active comparator: real APT + placebo iTBS

30 1-hour treatment sessions will be provided 3/week. Sessions will be conducted for 10 weeks. APT-III is a computer based cognitive training program. Participants randomized to placebo iTBS will not receive any iTBS stimulation.

active comparator: placebo APT+ real iTBS

30 1-hour treatment sessions will be provided 3/week. Sessions will be conducted for 10 weeks. Placebo APT-III is a computer based active control cognitive training program. Bursts of TMS pulses will be applied at 5Hz rate; each burst consists of 3 pulses delivered at 50Hz rate. The bursts are applied for 2s with 8s inter-burst-intervals, for a total of 600 pulses. The total stimulation time per session is approximately 192s (\~ 3 minutes). Participants randomized to active iTBS will receive stimulation at the right DLPFC at 80% active motor threshold .

active comparator: placebo APT+ placebo iTBS

30 1-hour treatment sessions will be provided 3/week. Sessions will be conducted for 10 weeks. Placebo APT-III is a computer based active control cognitive training program. Participants randomized to placebo iTBS will not receive any iTBS stimulation.

Interventions

real iTBS

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) is a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which uses short magnetic field pulses applied to the scalp to induce currents in the underlying brain. iTBS will be delivered with the Magventure MagProX100 with MagOption stimulator and Magpro Cool Coil B65 A/P. The Magpro Cool Coil B65 A/P can be switched to active or placebo (A/P).

real APT

APT-III is an attention processing training program

placebo APT

computerized cognitive training

placebo iTBS

delivered with the Magventure MagProX100 with MagOption stimulator and Magpro Cool Coil B65 A/P. The Magpro Cool Coil B65 A/P can be switched to active or placebo (A/P).

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in the Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI) [ Time Frame: baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks, 20 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Catherine M Kestner

708-878-0578ckestner@sralab.org

Locations

Northwestern University

Recruiting

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60141

Contacts

Katie Kestner, PT

708-878-0578ckestner@sralab.org

More Information

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Last update posted

Oct 16, 2026

Last verified

Oct, 2026

Keywords

  • mTBI
  • PTSD
  • intermittent theta burst stimulation
  • cognitive training
  • neuroimaging

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-23. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Northwestern University on 2026-10-16. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.