A Study to Use Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation to Reduce Fear Memory and Lower PTSD Risk in Adults

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore a new non-invasive method to reduce the fear response that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD. It focuses on disrupting the sensory memory consolidation shortly after an emotional event to lower the risk of developing PTSD. The study seeks to understand how sensory and emotional memories interact and to translate this knowledge into a precise, individualized treatment. Participants will undergo a functional MRI scan while completing a fear conditioning and extinction task. After the scan, they will be randomly assigned to receive either active or sham continuous theta burst stimulation cTBS targeting the sensory cortex to temporarily disrupt neural activity during the memory consolidation window. This stimulation is delivered using real-time neuronavigation and follows established safety guidelines. During the study, participants will be assessed on changes in brain network connectivity and regional brain activation on Days 30 and 31. Additional evaluations include skin conductance response, ECG, acoustic startle response, and performance on the fear conditioning and extinction task. The study is double-blinded and randomized, and participants will be monitored throughout to measure the effects on fear memory and related neural activity.

Disrupting Fear-based Memory Consolidation