Actively Recruiting
The Effects of Very Brief Exposure on PTSD in U.S. Combat Veterans
Led by Children's Hospital Los Angeles · Updated on 2025-12-18
80
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
170 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The goal of this clinical trial is to develop a new behavioral treatment for U.S. combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), very brief exposure to combat-related stimuli. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. How does Very Brief Exposure (combat images and control everyday images) and Visible Exposure to combat stimuli affect brain activity and subjective fear ratings? 2. To what extent are participants aware of the stimuli presented and tolerating the exposures? All participants will view both very brief exposure and visible exposure to combat stimuli in the functional magnetic brain imaging (fMRI) scan. They will provide ratings of fear, awareness, and tolerability. Researchers will compare U.S. combat veterans with PTSD and healthy controls to confirm differences in brain region activation and ratings.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
The Effects of Very Brief Exposure on PTSD in U.S. Combat Veterans
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Males and females ages 18-50
- Diagnosis of PTSD according to DSM-5
- Combat-based traumatic event (e.g., injury, witnessing death)
- Minimum score of 18 on the Combat Experience Scale (CES)
- Minimum score of 3 or more on Primary Care PTSD-5 (PC-PTSD-5)
- Participants with cooccurring psychiatric disorders included
- Healthy males and females ages 18-50 also eligible
You will not qualify if you...
- Treatment for PTSD, substance abuse, or mental health concerns within past 6 months
- Combat trauma occurred 10 or more years ago
- Acute intoxication
- Severe substance dependence (6 or more DSM-V symptoms)
- Prior diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Current or past psychotic disorders or active psychotic symptoms
- Current Bipolar I Disorder
- Dementia
- Neurological or serious medical conditions (e.g., stroke, epilepsy, cancer, Lupus, HIV+)
- Traumatic brain injury
- For healthy participants: ferromagnetic implants or metal devices
- Lifetime diagnosis of PTSD, Tourette's, Bipolar Disorder, Substance Dependence, Eating Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, psychotic disorder, or Acute Stress Disorder
- History of life-threatening traumatic event
- Birth before 37 weeks gestation
- Claustrophobia
- Anxiety, mood, substance abuse, or adjustment disorder in past 2 years
- Treatment for mental health concern in past 2 years
- Pregnant females
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Brain Imaging Lab
Los Angeles, California, United States, 90027
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Courtney Marcelino
CONTACT
B
Bradley S Peterson, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
1
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