Understanding how the brain regulates stress responses in PTSD
Official title: Neural regulation of susceptibility to hyperarousal
Funded at Veterans Health Administration · NIH-10950298 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a part of the brain linked to stress affects people with PTSD, aiming to understand why they feel so on edge and how it might also impact their heart health, with hopes of finding new treatments to help them feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005661-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10950298 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced trauma and are suffering from PTSD, particularly veterans.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have PTSD or have not experienced significant trauma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the brain mechanisms that contribute to hyperarousal in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly focusing on the locus coeruleus, a brain region involved in stress responses. By studying both male and female subjects, the research aims to identify how elevated sympathetic nervous system activity affects mental health and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The approach includes using animal models to simulate stress and observe the resulting behavioral and physiological changes. The ultimate goal is to develop therapies that can reduce hyperactivity in the locus coeruleus and alleviate symptoms of PTSD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that effectively reduce PTSD symptoms and associated cardiovascular risks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of the locus coeruleus in stress responses, indicating that this approach may lead to significant advancements in PTSD treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Health Administration
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wood, Susan Kathleen — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Wood, Susan Kathleen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Transcutaneous Vagal Nerve Stimulation for PTSD in Veterans
A non-invasive device gently stimulates the vagus nerve to help reduce PTSD symptoms in veterans.
-
Biomechanical check of a caregiver transfer technique tool
This grant tests a quick, objective way to measure how well informal caregivers transfer a person, with the goal of reducing caregiver and care recipient injuries.
-
Genetic vulnerabilities exposed by beta-lactamase overexpression in Acinetobacter baumannii
A funded NIH project explores how overproducing certain enzymes in the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii may reveal new weaknesses that could lead to better treatments for this dangerous, drug-resistant infection.
-
Airway protection gone wrong in COPD
A long-running NIH project is exploring how defects in the small airways’ immune protection contribute to COPD progression and lung damage.
-
Neural Circuitry Resilience in Psychotic Disorders
Researchers are using ultra-high-field brain scans to understand how brain networks in people with schizophrenia adapt over time, with the goal of finding new ways to improve thinking and daily functioning.
-
Tools to recreate deployment-related airborne exposures affecting veterans' lungs
This project will set up lab equipment to recreate burn pit and other deployment airborne exposures so researchers can understand how they harm veterans' lungs and other organs.
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.