Recruiting

rTMS

Sponsor:

White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Code:

NCT07336251

Conditions

PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 19 - 70

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Study Details

Brief summary:

With this research investigators hope to begin to understand how rTMS can improve posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. TMS improves PTSD through two interrelated mechanisms: change in brain limbic system function and change in systemic inflammatory activation. Participants who decide to join this study, will receive ten rTMS treatments. All participants will undergo a 40-minute rTMS procedure with a member of the study team 10 times over 2-4 weeks. Participants will undergo fMRI scans of the head in order to help researchers better understand potential effects of rTMS on brain activity. In addition, participants will be asked to give two breath and blood samples to look for signs of general inflammation.

Conditions

PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study ID

NCT07336251

Start date

Jan 15, 2026

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Jan, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 19 - 70

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 19 and 70
  • Eligible for VA healthcare
  • Moderate to severe PTSD as determined by a total score of at least 25 on the CAPS within 7 days of randomization.
  • Agree to have CAPS audio recorded.
  • Ability to obtain a Motor Threshold using the TMS device during screening.
  • If female with childbearing potential, use of acceptable method of birth control (i.e., use of contraceptives, abstinence).
  • Able to read, understand, and sign the informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant or lactating woman.
  • MRI is contraindicated
  • Current use of clozapine (any dose) or bupropion (more than 300mg per day).
  • Cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator.
  • Presence of any metal object in the head, including cochlear implants, but excluding dental work in the mouth.
  • Significant central nervous system disorder (stroke, brain mass, epilepsy).
  • Seizure in past one year.
  • Current psychosis or mania.
  • Significant suicidal ideation.
  • Unstable medical conditions.
  • Current alcohol or substance use disorder (except nicotine) that interferes with the patient's ability to participate.
  • CPT or PE for PTSD in the past 2 months.
  • Changes in Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, or Venlafaxine in the past 2 months.
  • Color blind
  • Currently participating in other research studies.
  • Aneurysm Clip
  • Ocular foreign body (e.g., metal shavings)
  • Any implanted device (pumps, infusion devices, etc.)
  • Shrapnel injuries or metal fragments

Study Design

Enrollment

20 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Participants receiving open label trial of TMS

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

10 sessions of low frequency rTMS (1Hz) applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Primary outcome measure

  • Frequency and intensity of PTSD symptoms as assessed by the CAPS-5 [ Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months ]
  • 20 item self-report of PTSD symptoms assessed by PCL-5 [ Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Bradley V Watts, MD, MPH

802-295-9363bradley.watts@va.gov

Julian Sewall

603-266-7140julian.sewall@va.gov

Locations

White River Junction VA Hospital

Recruiting

White River Junction, Vermont, United States, 05001

Contacts

Bradley Watts, MD, MPH

802-295-9363bradley.watts@va.gov

Principal Investigator:

Bradley Watts,MD, MPH

More Information

Sponsor

White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Last update posted

Jun 15, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-18. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center on 2026-06-15.