Responsive brain stimulation for severe PTSD
Official title: Responsive Neurostimulation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-10911268 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a small implanted device that senses fear-related brain activity and delivers brief electrical pulses to help veterans with severe, treatment-resistant PTSD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $647,326 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3NS107673-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911268 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are veterans with severe, treatment-resistant PTSD who have tried psychotherapy and medications without adequate relief and who are medically fit for neurosurgery and regular follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild PTSD, those who cannot undergo brain surgery, have uncontrolled medical or substance use problems, or who do not meet the trial's eligibility criteria (such as the veteran-focused enrollment) may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
If you join, surgeons at UCLA would implant a responsive neurostimulation device near the amygdala to record brain signals linked to fear and trauma reminders. The device will be programmed to recognize those signals and deliver short electrical pulses only when fear-related activity is detected, instead of stimulating continuously. Researchers will record brain activity during controlled exposure to trauma cues and in everyday life, and will monitor symptoms and safety over time. The team aims to reduce intrusive fear responses and help the brain form lasting extinction of traumatic memories without disrupting normal amygdala function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce severe PTSD symptoms by interrupting fear signals in the amygdala and promoting extinction of traumatic memories.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical animal work showed that amygdala stimulation can help fear extinction, and there is at least one prior report of benefit in a single treatment-resistant patient, but robust human evidence is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Langevin, Jean-Philippe — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Langevin, Jean-Philippe
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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.