The PREVENT Resilience Study: Early Intervention for Psychological Trauma

This study is exploring if Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can help prevent chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in people who have recently experienced a traumatic event. TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate brain cells. You might be able to join if you are 18-65 years old, experienced a trauma within the last two weeks, and have high initial symptoms of PTSD. Researchers will compare TMS to a sham treatment (like a placebo) to see if TMS changes brain activity related to fear processing. The goal is to understand if this early intervention can reduce the risk of long-term PTSD.

Study design: This interventional study plans to enroll 50 participants. It uses a blinded design, meaning participants won't know if they are receiving active TMS or the sham treatment.
What's involved: Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Researchers will measure brain activity related to fear processing at baseline, and then one and two days after the TMS intervention.

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

The PREVENT Resilience Study

Recruiting

NAAges 18–65InterventionalTreatment

Emory University

~50 participants

Updated 2026-06-30 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)TMS Sham

At a glance

Recruiting sites

2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Amygdala Reactivity During Fear Processing Pre- to Post TMS

Measured over Baseline, day 1 post-TMS intervention and day 2 post-TMS intervention

Conditions

Psychological Trauma

Where it's being run

2 sites across 1 states

Georgia2

Study leadership

Sanne van Rooij, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Emory University

Who to contact

Sanne van Rooij, PhD

[email protected]

404-251-8926

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

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 - PCL-5 \>30 AND meeting for all four DSM-5 clusters.

Low symptoms of PTSD related to a previous lifetime trauma - PCL-5\<31AND does not meet for all four DSM-5 clusters.

Participants may be on psychotropic medication, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants, but the dosage of the medication must be stable for at least 6 weeks and not change during the course of the study (Assessed via self-report during the screening phone call).

Capable and willing to provide informed consent.

Exclusion

Having active suicidal intent or plan, or in the clinician's opinion, is likely to attempt suicide within the next six months. (Assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) during the screening phone call)

Lifetime diagnosis of psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder per psychiatric screener. (Assessed via self-report during the screening phone call)

Diagnosed with the following conditions: a neurological disorder, including a history of seizures, cerebrovascular disease, primary or secondary tumors in the central nervous system (CNS), stroke, cerebral aneurysm or movement disorder or any lifetime history of loss of consciousness for more than 5 minutes due to head injury (Assessed via self-report during the screening phone call)

History of cranial surgery, metallic particles in the eye or head (exclusive of mouth), implanted cardiac pacemaker or any intracardiac lines, implanted neurostimulators, intra-cranial implants (e.g., aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes), or implanted medical pumps. (Assessed via self-report during the screening phone call)

For women, being pregnant. (Assessed via self-report during the screening phone call, the medical record, and cycling females will undergo a pregnancy test at TMS Day 1)

What this trial measures

Amygdala Reactivity During Fear Processing Pre- to Post TMSBaseline, day 1 post-TMS intervention and day 2 post-TMS intervention
Amygdala reactivity during fear processing will be assessed by fMRI responses as participants viewed 15 blocks each of fearful face and neutral face stimuli, while amygdala reactivity was measured. The amygdala will be separated into the right and left hemispheres. The right amygdala is the primary outcome measure. fMRI measures the blood oxygen level-dependent response, a measure of how much more oxygenated blood there is in a certain brain region, which reflects activation of the brain region. For analysis of amygdala reactivity to threat cues, volume-averaged beta values for each condition (fearful faces, neutral faces) will be extracted. Right amygdala threat reactivity will be compared between receiving any versus no TMS

Trialytics