RECRUITINGINTERVENTIONAL

Disrupting Fear-based Memory Consolidation

Forgetting Fear: Establishing a Novel Non-invasive Approach to Disrupt Fear-based Sensory Memory Consolidation in Humans

About This Trial

This project represents a unique collaborative opportunity to pursue the essential proof-of-principle demonstration that non-invasive interference of sensory cortical memory consolidation shortly after an emotional experience can attenuate the cued fear response and potentially reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If successful, the study results would anchor a potential advance in the treatment of patients after a traumatic event and seed future animal and clinical studies of emotional sensory cortical memory consolidation to reduce the prevalence and negative sequelae of PTSD.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Ability to provide willing to sign a consent form - Willingness to participate in study - No history of musculoskeletal impairment or neurological disease - Clinical diagnosis of PTSD for individuals in the PTSD group. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Any participant outside the age range - Participants that show signs of dementia (score \< 20 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) - Participants that have a history of major head trauma, a neurodegenerative disorder, or recent (\<6 months) substance abuse; - Participants that had a recent history of Central Nervous System (CNS) active drugs that may influence cortical excitability or learning; or - Participants that report contraindications to TMS or MRI - if participating in the TMS/MRI experiments - Current psychoactive medication usage - Current symptoms of psychosis or bipolar disorder (as indicated by study staff through a clinical interview as part of that study). - The study will exclude adults unable to consent, individuals who are not yet adults, pregnant women and prisoners on scientific grounds and to minimize risk. Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: * Ability to provide informed consent * Willingness to participate in study * No history of musculoskeletal impairment or neurological disease * Clinical diagnosis of PTSD for individuals in the PTSD group. Exclusion Criteria: * Any participant outside the age range * Participants that show signs of dementia (score \< 20 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) * Participants that have a history of major head trauma, a neurodegenerative disorder, or recent (\<6 months) substance abuse; * Participants that had a recent history of Central Nervous System (CNS) active drugs that may influence cortical excitability or learning; or * Participants that report contraindications to TMS or MRI - if participating in the TMS/MRI experiments * Current psychoactive medication usage * Current symptoms of psychosis or bipolar disorder (as indicated by study staff through a clinical interview as part of that study). * The study will exclude adults unable to consent, individuals who are not yet adults, pregnant women and prisoners on scientific grounds and to minimize risk.

Treatments Being Tested

OTHER

Continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS)

cTBS, a patterned form of TMS, (80% active motor threshold intensity, 3 pulses at 50Hz, 200ms interval, 600 pulses, 40s duration applied over the targeted sensory cortical region using real-time neuronavigation to focally and transiently inhibit neural activity

OTHER

Sham continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS)

This will be a sham intervention. An active/sham stimulating coil will be used for double-blinding of stimulation condition. cTBS is safe and has established safety guidelines that will be strictly adhered to during study conduction.

Locations (2)

Emory Rehabilitation Hospital

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Emory University Hospital

Atlanta, Georgia, United States