A Mechanistic Trial of the Neurobiology of Extinction Learning and Intraparietal Sulcus Stimulation
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Pennsylvania
- Where
- Philadelphia, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 120 people, planned
- Started
- 29 Apr 2024
- Expected to end
- 31 Oct 2028
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation to the Intraparietal Sulcus
- Sham Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation
- Record updated
- 12 November 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years to 60 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 13 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Adult aged 18-60
- Meets Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for PTSD according to the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
- No metal implants
Who cannot take part
- Medical implant
- Recent medication or therapy changes (in the past 8 weeks)
- Seizure disorder or epilepsy
- Increased risk of seizure
- Any medical condition that increases risk for fMRI or cTBS
- Current severe substance use disorder
- Pregnancy
- Non-English speaking
- Hearing loss sufficient to interfere with startle
- Claustrophobia
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Where in United States
- Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, United StatesContact: Lily A Brown, PhDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
This study will be the first of its kind to explore the impact of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) to the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) on arousal symptoms among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The investigators will demonstrate that IPS cTBS results in significant reduction in arousal (measured by startle response) compared to sham cTBS, that IPS cTBS interacts with extinction training to further improve arousal, and that there is a dose/response effect of cTBS on arousal. The investigators will also demonstrate that IPS cTBS significantly improves retention of extinction learning, the experimental analogue of exposure therapy.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Continuous theta burst stimulation to the intraparietal sulcusTreatment being tested
Continuous theta burst stimulation will be delivered to the individually targeted intraparietal sulcus site at 100% RMT.
- Sham continuous theta burst stimulationPlacebo, for comparison
We will use the coil's electric stimulation functionality that allows for the delivery of a brief electric pulse to the scalp simultaneous to the pulse to mimic actual stimulation.
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT06234969, who can take part
- Record updated
- 12 November 2026