PREVENT Study: Promoting Resilience Via Early Neurostimulation After Trauma

Emory University

Summary

PTSD is one of the most universal and severe psychiatric disorders whose incidence continues to rise due to the common exposure to severe trauma in the United States and worldwide. After trauma, a proportion of individuals maintains high symptoms of PTSD and depression, which can persist for years. The early weeks following trauma present a unique opportunity to deliver early interventions that can prevent chronic PTSD and depression from occurring, and the researchers propose a brain-based intervention that will reduce reactivity to threat, an early risk mechanism for chronic PTSD. This study is being done to learn more about whether brain stimulation in the weeks after a trauma can change brain activity that is linked to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Description

After experiencing a traumatic event, there is a risk of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can disrupt everyday life and functioning. It is now well-recognized that many individuals experience initial psychological symptoms acutely following a traumatic event, but many recover naturally within the first 3 months post-trauma. However, about 20% of individuals continue to maintain high levels of debilitating symptoms that can persist for years following the trauma in the absence of treatment. Initial hyperarousal is a predictor of subsequent re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms.…

Eligibility

Age range: 18–65 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Yes

Detailed criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women 18-65 years of age. (Assessed via self-reported and medical record-based Date of Birth) * Trauma exposed within the last 2 weeks (Endorsement of having experienced an event that could have caused death, serious injury, or sexual violence) * High initial symptoms of PTSD related to the index trauma - PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual( DSM)-5 (PCL-5) \>30 with 2+ hyperarousal symptoms * Low symptoms of PTSD related to a previous lifetime trauma - PCL-5\<31 * Participants may be on psychotropic medication, including antidepressants, antipsyc…

Interventions

Device
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-approved procedure for pharmaco-resistant depression and is widely used in clinical and research settings. It uses magnetic pulses to stimulate underactive nerve cells in the brain, primarily treating depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) when other treatments fail. It is a safe, outpatient treatment, usually involving a 20-40 minute session.
Other
TMS Sham
TMS Sham is equivalent to a drug placebo. The experience is the same with the noise and vibration of the TMS coil, however, no magnetic stimulation occurs. Participants will be blinded to the condition during the TMS days to prevent bias in responding during the MRI tasks

Locations (2)

Grady Memorial Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia
Emory Brain Health Center
Atlanta, Georgia