PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress DisorderNCT07336251
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Veterans With PTSD
A study testing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in people with PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, run by White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 19 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Jan 2026to Jan 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 19 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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).
Show all 19Show fewer
- 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
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
White River Junction VA Hospital
White River Junction, Vermont, 05001
Bradley Watts, MD, MPH, 802-295-9363 ext. 5235, bradley.watts@va.gov
Bradley Watts,MD, MPH
About this study
Official title: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Veterans With PTSD: A Pilot Study to Examine Mechanism of Effect
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
- Being tested
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- Medical subject headings
- Combat Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Transcranial Magnetic StimulationDevice
10 sessions of low frequency rTMS (1Hz) applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Participants receiving open label trial of TMS | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Frequency and intensity of PTSD symptoms as assessed by the CAPS-5
The CAPS is a clinician-administered scale of PTSD symptoms, which queries the frequency and intensity of symptoms of PTSD
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months
20 item self-report of PTSD symptoms assessed by PCL-5
It asks participants to rate the severity of each of the 20 symptoms of PTSD in DSM-5
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
A quick self-reported and self administered inventory of depressive symptoms (QIDS-16-SR)
This is a self-reported, self- administered scale of depressive symptoms.
Measured: From the baseline to the end of the study at 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Jan 2026
- Study start15 Jan 2026
- Primary completionJan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- US federal agency
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Bradley Watts, White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- Investigators
- Bradley Watts, Principal investigator, US Department of Veterans Affairs
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07336251
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1869595
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 15 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Veterans With PTSD: A Pilot Study to Examine Mechanism of Effect
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07336251
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1869595
- Conditions
- PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical CenterUS federal agency
- Study start
- 15 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Participants receiving open label trial of TMS | Experimental | Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 19 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (19 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation10 sessions of low frequency rTMS (1Hz) applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. | Device | Participants receiving open label trial of TMS |
Primary outcome
Frequency and intensity of PTSD symptoms as assessed by the CAPS-5
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months
The CAPS is a clinician-administered scale of PTSD symptoms, which queries the frequency and intensity of symptoms of PTSD
20 item self-report of PTSD symptoms assessed by PCL-5
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months
It asks participants to rate the severity of each of the 20 symptoms of PTSD in DSM-5
1 secondary outcome
A quick self-reported and self administered inventory of depressive symptoms (QIDS-16-SR)
Time frame: From the baseline to the end of the study at 3 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Jun 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Bradley Watts principal investigator
US Department of Veterans Affairs
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in people with PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, run by White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 19 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Bradley V Watts, MD, MPH (802-295-9363 ext. 5235, bradley.watts@va.gov), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the 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). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jun 2026.