Navigated TMS Trial Reports PTSD Symptom Improvement

Key Takeaways

• Adjunctive navigated TMS was associated with greater reported PTSD symptom improvement than sham in this randomized trial population.
• Improvement was reported at one month, and group differences were also reported at three months.

The trial enrolled 119 active-duty military members and veterans with combat-related PTSD during a 30-day residential program at Laurel Ridge Treatment Center. All participants received standard psychotherapy as background treatment throughout the program. Participants were randomized to either active navigated TMS (an MRI-guided, robotically controlled form) or sham TMS, using a randomized, sham-controlled design to evaluate navigated TMS as an adjunct to psychotherapy.

One month after treatment completion, symptom relief was reported in 85% of the active-TMS group compared with just under 60% of the sham group. Investigators observed that clinically significant improvement persisted at three months in 73% of the active group, versus less than 30% of the sham group.

In this study, navigated TMS targeting used an MRI and a robot to examine each participant’s anatomy and brain structure and determine the optimal targeting spot. The investigators noted that TMS is FDA-approved for major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but not for PTSD.