Targeted Plasticity Therapy for PTSD

NCT ID: NCT06266364

Last Updated: 2025-07-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-12-30

Study Completion Date

2028-06-30

Brief Summary

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Objectives of this study are to provide continued safety assessment for the ReStore system, and to gain further estimates of the effect size of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy with Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) compared to PE with placebo (sham) stimulation in participants with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Detailed Description

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A prospective, multi-center, randomized, controlled, blinded trial of participants implanted with the ReStore Device for VNS Therapy.

In double-blinded Phase 1, after implantation, participants will be randomized to either active VNS stimulation or sham VNS stimulation, accompanying PE therapy twice weekly for 7 weeks (12 in-office sessions, Phase 1). The therapist and the participant will be blinded of the group assignment.

Following completion of Phase 1, all participants undergo two mid-therapy assessments and then advance to the open-label Phase 2.

In open-label Phase 2, all participants will receive up to an additional 12 sessions of PE therapy paired with active VNS stimulation, regardless of their prior assignment in Phase 1.

Post-therapy assessments will be performed 1 day, 1 month, and 6 months following the completion of the final session of PE in Phase 2.

During the in-office sessions, the therapist will use a secure smart device to deliver stimulation and record audio of the session for use during homework sessions. The smart device will automatically trigger VNS during audio homework sessions at the same times that the therapist delivered VNS during the corresponding in-office session.

Long-term assessment of safety will be performed up to four times annually for up to 2 years following the date of implant or until the device is FDA approved when possible. Safety assessment will only report on the presence of the implanted, non-active device and/or participant status during this period. Participants who experience a serious device-related adverse event will be removed from the identified risk but will continue to be monitored for 2 years or longer if the event has not resolved.

Conditions

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PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

1:1 randomization of active stimulation vs. sham stimulation for 12 sessions post randomization, followed by up to 12 sessions of open label active stimulation for all participants
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors
All are blinded in the RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial) phase. However, sites will need to have an unblinded programmer who is only programming the device and not collecting outcomes data

Study Groups

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Immediate VNS Group

The participants in this arm will be implanted with the device and will receive active VNS stimulations in phase 1 as well as phase 2 of the study.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Active VNS stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The subjects in this group will be implanted with the ReStore device and receive active Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in phase 1

Delayed VNS Group

The participants in this arm will be implanted with the device but will receive sham VNS stimulations in phase 1 of the study and active VNS in phase 2 of the study.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham VNS stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The subjects in this group will be implanted with the ReStore device and receive sham Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in phase 1

Interventions

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Active VNS stimulation

The subjects in this group will be implanted with the ReStore device and receive active Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in phase 1

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham VNS stimulation

The subjects in this group will be implanted with the ReStore device and receive sham Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in phase 1

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Diagnosis of chronic PTSD for at least 3 months based on DSM-5 criteria
2. In the medical opinion of the Principal Investigator (PI), failed at least one adequate course of first-line PTSD treatment per American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines
3. PCL-5 score greater than 33
4. Age 22-79 years
5. Appropriate surgical candidate for VNS device implantation
6. Willing and able to comply with study protocol
7. Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Currently undergoing prolonged exposure therapy elsewhere
2. Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical trial
3. Prior injury to vagus nerve
4. Prior or current treatment with vagus nerve stimulation
5. Psychiatric disorders and/or cognitive impairments that would interfere with study participation, as assessed by medical evaluation
6. Moderate-High Risk of Suicide according to Columbia - Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screen Version
7. Persons with a current or past: (a) medical (psychiatric, non-psychiatric) condition, disease, disorder, injury, or disability or (b) non-medical situation or circumstance that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, study participation:

* may pose a significant or undue risk to the person,
* make it unlikely the person will complete all the study requirements per protocol, or
* may adversely impact the integrity of the data or the validity of the study results
8. Persons with a neck circumference larger than 18.5 inches
9. Females of childbearing potential who are either pregnant or planning to become pregnant and who are not using, or will not agree to use medically acceptable birth control methods
10. Non-English speaking
11. As determined by the principal investigator, is under current incarceration or legal detention
Minimum Eligible Age

22 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

79 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

FED

Sponsor Role collaborator

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

The University of Texas at Dallas

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr. Seth Hays

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jane Wigginton, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas at Dallas

Robert Rennaker, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas at Dallas

Jasper Smits, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas at Austin

Mark Powers, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Baylor Scott & White

Michael Kilgard, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas at Dallas

Locations

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The University of Texas Health Austin Ambulatory Surgery Center

Austin, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Baylor University Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Texas Biomedical Device Center

Richardson, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Amy Porter

Role: CONTACT

972-883-7256

Katharine Dlouhy

Role: CONTACT

972-883-7231

Facility Contacts

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Role: primary

(214) 865-2416

Amy Porter

Role: primary

972-883-7256

Other Identifiers

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HT94252310818

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

175181

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

IRB-24-22

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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