Study Comparing Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Combat-Related PTSD in Veterans Aged 18-60

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of combining repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation rTMS with Cognitive Processing Therapy CPT to reduce symptoms of combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD. The study also explores how treatment affects depression, social functioning, and brain activity measured by electroencephalography EEG and magnetic resonance imaging MRI. This trial involves veterans diagnosed with PTSD from Post-911 military conflicts. The study has three groups one receives 1 Hz rTMS to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex rDLPFC before each of 12 CPT sessions, another receives sham inactive rTMS before each CPT session, and the third group receives only 1 Hz rTMS once per week over 12 weeks without CPT. Each rTMS session lasts 30 minutes. Participants are randomly assigned to these treatment arms to compare the effects. Participants will undergo assessments before treatment begins, including PTSD symptom severity, neuropsychological tests, EEG, and MRI scans. During treatment, symptom measures are collected at sessions 5 and 9. After treatment, follow-up assessments occur at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months. EEG is done at 1, 6, and 12 months, and MRI at 6 and 12 months to monitor changes. The main outcome is change in PTSD symptoms measured by a clinician-administered scale at 6 months post-treatment.

Multi-site Confirmatory Efficacy Treatment Trial of Combat-related PTSD