Brain stimulation to help PTSD after chronic traumatic brain injury
Official title: Neuromodulation as a Therapy for PTSD following Chronic TBI
Funded at Philadelphia VA Medical Center · NIH-11306010 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries using targeted brain stimulation to reduce PTSD symptoms and improve thinking in people with long-term traumatic brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Philadelphia VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2018 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX002705-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306010 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people, often Veterans, who have chronic traumatic brain injury plus ongoing PTSD symptoms and cognitive difficulties and who can travel to the study site.
✕Less likely to help
People without PTSD or without a history of TBI, those with very recent/acute TBI, or those with medical reasons that make brain stimulation unsafe may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
From my point of view, researchers are studying how long-term brain injury changes the limbic system (including the hippocampus and amygdala) that controls fear and memory. They use lab models and physiological recordings to see how these changes make fear responses stronger and harder to extinguish, and they test electrical or other neuromodulation methods to try to restore normal brain activity. The team combines animal experiments with translational work aimed at applying those findings to Veterans with chronic TBI and PTSD. Any human procedures would likely be delivered at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center where the research is based.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a new treatment to lower PTSD symptoms and improve memory and thinking after chronic TBI.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior animal and human studies suggest neuromodulation can aid fear extinction and reduce PTSD-like symptoms, but applying these approaches specifically to PTSD after chronic TBI is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolf, John Allen — Philadelphia VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wolf, John Allen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how PTSD affects self-control and brain function
Researchers are studying how PTSD changes the brain’s control over thoughts and actions, and how this might affect Veterans’ daily lives and responses to treatment.
-
Ketamine to boost fear extinction and memory on PTSD patients
A study testing whether ketamine can help people with PTSD better relearn and forget fear when given in a guided treatment plan.
-
Treating PTSD and opioid use disorder in residential care with Written Exposure Therapy (WEST)
A short, patient-friendly plan to adapt a proven PTSD therapy for people with opioid use disorder in residential treatment and test its practicality and impact.
-
Dynamic PTSD-Related Cognitive Risk in Aging WTC Responders
This project follows World Trade Center responders as they age to understand how PTSD symptoms relate to changes in thinking skills over time.
-
Identifying brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
-
Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.