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Brain Stimulation for Anxiety and Stress in PTSD

This study is looking into new ways to understand and treat anxiety and stress related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Researchers are testing how different types of brain stimulation, called Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) and Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS), might help correct brain networks that contribute to anxious feelings. You might receive active tACS, tRNS, or a sham (inactive) stimulation. The study will measure changes in your brain activity using EEG (electroencephalogram, which measures electrical activity in the brain) and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging, which looks at blood flow in the brain) before and after stimulation. This study is for right-handed individuals aged 18-50 with a PTSD diagnosis, or healthy volunteers, who meet specific screening criteria.

Study design
This is an interventional study with 160 planned participants, including healthy individuals and those with PTSD. It is a randomized, double-blind, controlled design, meaning participants are assigned to a treatment group by chance, and neither you nor the researchers will know which treatment you are receiving.
What's involved
You will undergo brain stimulation for 10 to 40 minutes at a time. You will also have EEG and fMRI scans before and immediately after the stimulation.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your brain activity will be measured immediately after stimulation (about 10 to 40 minutes after the start of stimulation).

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05895006

A Neurosensory Account of Anxiety and Stress (Study 1)

Recruiting
NAAges 18–50InterventionalTreatment
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
~160 participants
Updated 2025-09-12 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)Sham for Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)Transcranial Random Noise stimulation (tRNS)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in neural oscillatory activity as assessed by electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power change
Measured over baseline (pre-stimulation); immediately post-stimulation (about 10 to 40 minutes after start of stimulation)
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Intrinsic and Novelty-related Sensory Cortical (SC) Disinhibition

Explore related trials

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Texas1

Study leadership

  • Wen Li, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Who to contact

Wen Li, PhD
[email protected]
(713) 486-2700
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

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

A history of diagnosis for a major medical illness (e.g., cancer, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disorders) or a neurological disorder (e.g., seizure, stroke, Parkinson's disease).
Patients: Concurrent Axis I diagnosis (depression, anxiety, and mild substance use disorder are allowed given their high comorbidity with PTSD).
Healthy controls: A history of diagnosis for a DSM-5 Axis I disorder or current use of psychoactive medications.
Severe psychiatric instability or severe situational life crises, including evidence of being actively suicidal or homicidal, or any behavior that poses an immediate danger to self or others.
History of head trauma with unconsciousness (\> 5 minutes)
Report that they regularly drink 3 or more alcoholic beverages a day.
Report that they are unable to abstain from substance use (including alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, amphetamines, narcotics, solvents, cocaine, hallucinogens, tranquilizers, barbiturates, etc.) or sleep medication for 48 hours before being scanned.
Are on calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, nifedipine) or alpha-blockers (e.g., prazosin, terazosin) and are unable to stop these medications for a 48-hour period prior to scanning (to exclude the impact of these medications on the interpretation of fMRI/EEG).
Failed Urine Drug Screening Test: A rapid urine screening test that utilizes monoclonal antibodies to detect elevated levels of specific drugs (including alcohol, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, etc.) in urine (iCup)
Pregnancy based on urine test. The safety of MR systems has not been established for fetuses
Having electrically, magnetically, or mechanically activated implants (e.g., cardiac pacemakers), because the electromagnetic fields produced by the MR system may interfere with the operation of these devices.

What this trial measures

  • Change in neural oscillatory activity as assessed by electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power changebaseline (pre-stimulation); immediately post-stimulation (about 10 to 40 minutes after start of stimulation)
  • Change in cortical activity as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal changebaseline (pre-stimulation); immediately post-stimulation (about 10 to 40 minutes after start of stimulation)