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Brain Stimulation for PTSD

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Gopalkumar Rakesh, PhD

Research Sponsored by University of Kentucky

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Ability and willingness to perform procedures

Meet diagnostic criteria for past-month probable IPV-related PTSD.

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up day 1

Summary

This trial will study if a brain stimulation treatment (tDCS) can help adult women with a history of trauma and PTSD.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adult female students aged 18-55 at a large southern university who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and likely have PTSD. They must be able to give informed consent, perform required tasks, and either not be on medication or on stable medication for at least four weeks.

What is being tested?

The study tests the effects of tDCS—a non-invasive brain stimulation technique—on inhibitory control in participants with probable PTSD from IPV. Participants will do tasks before and after receiving either real or sham tDCS, with their performance compared to see if there's any improvement.

What are the potential side effects?

tDCS is generally considered safe but can cause mild side effects such as itching, tingling, or discomfort at the electrode site. Headache and fatigue may also occur after treatment.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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I am willing and able to follow through with required medical procedures.

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I have PTSD related to past intimate partner violence.

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I am female.

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I am between 18 and 55 years old.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ day 1

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~day 1

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and day 1 for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Heart Rate (HR)

Skin conductance level (SCL)

Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT)

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Active Control

Placebo Group

Group I: Active tDCSActive Control1 Intervention

Current will be ramped in/out for 15 seconds at the beginning and end of a 15-minute period and a constant current will be delivered for the 15-minutes between ramping

Group II: Shame tDCSPlacebo Group1 Intervention

Current will be ramped in/out for 15 seconds at the beginning and end of a 15-minute period during which no stimulation will be delivered.

0 / 4Eligibility criteria met