Threat-related Sensory Cortical (SC) Disinhibition and SPA Pathology in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Aim 3; Expts. 2&3)
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Summary
This study will take a basic neuroscience approach to investigate pathological mechanisms underlying PTSD. Additionally, the study aims to identify how Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) brain stimulation can modulate and correct neural networks and related emotions of anxious arousal and hypervigilance, with the goal of assessing tACS brain stimulation technology as a novel intervention for symptoms of anxiety.
Description
This study includes experiments 2 \& 3 to address Aim 3--threat-related SC disinhibition and Sensory-Prefrontal-cortex-Amygdala (SPA) pathology in PTSD. The goal of this study is to develop and test a novel pathophysiology of PTSD by integrating sensory cortical (SC) and amygdala-prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunctions into a tripartite Sensory-Prefrontal-Cortex-Amygdala (SPA) model. The investigators will recruit 80 healthy subjects and 80 patients with PTSD in a randomized, double-blind, controlled design, where they be randomly assigned to 1) Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Right-handed * With normal or corrected-to-normal vision and normal olfaction * Between the ages of 18 and 50 years * Meeting the tACS screening criteria (see List I below; e.g., lack of a serious head injury or loss of consciousness) * Patients: Diagnosis of PTSD * Patients: If taking psychotropic medications, medication stability in the past 2 months * If having mild substance use disorder (for patients) or occasional substance use, abstention from use 48 hours before the experiment. Exclusion Criteria: * A history of diagnosis for a major medical illness (e.g., canc…
Interventions
- DeviceTranscranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)
A weak electrical current will be passed through the scalp over targeted cortical regions via a transcranial electrical stimulation system (Soterix Medical, Inc), for a span of 10 to 40 minutes at a time. Participants will receive a 2 milliamp (mA) sinusoidal current oscillating at individual participants' baseline peak alpha frequencies (PAF; 7-13 Hz), which will be determined by a 3-min resting state EEG recording during the setup. Current intensities will be modified to address individual participants' subjective reports of discomfort, with a maximum intensity of 2 mA. Stimulation electrodes will be placed within an EEG cap fitted over the participant's head.
- DeviceSham for Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)
Stimulation electrodes will be placed on the scalp, but no current will be passed. Stimulation electrodes will be placed within an EEG cap fitted over the participant's head.
- DeviceTranscranial Random Noise stimulation (tRNS)
A weak electrical currents will be passed through the scalp over targeted cortical regions via a transcranial electrical stimulation system (Soterix Medical, Inc), for a span of 10 to 40 minutes at a time. Participants will receive a 2 mA sinusoidal current oscillating at random frequency (1-200 Hz). Current intensities will be modified to address individual participants' subjective reports of discomfort, with a maximum intensity of 2 mA. Stimulation electrodes will be placed within an EEG cap fitted over the participant's head.
Location
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHouston, Texas