Improving therapeutic learning for PTSD in women

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This project aims to enhance the consolidation of extinction memories during exposure therapy for PTSD by manipulating dopamine neurotransmission. It will involve 120 women aged 21-50 with PTSD related to physical or sexual assault, who will undergo treatment with L-DOPA or a placebo over 2-3 days. The study will assess how dopamine affects fear responses and the functional connectivity of dopaminergic neural networks post-therapy.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Current diagnosis of PTSD where the index traumatic event includes physical or sexual assault
* English speaking
* Medically healthy

Exclusion Criteria:

* internal ferromagnetic objects (such as electronic devices, surgical implants, shrapnel, etc.)
* major medical disorders (such as cancer)
* psychotic disorders
* neurocognitive disorders
* developmental disorders
* pregnancy
* breastfeeding
* use of Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO-I) in past two weeks is exclusionary

Additional Exclusion Criteria at UT-Austin:

* heart disease
* hepatic impairment
* peptic ulcer disease
* COPD
* prescription medications that may interact with L-DOPA will not be permitted during a predetermined wash-out period

Due to safety concerns, participants with these conditions will be ineligible to participate:

* Claustrophobia, or the inability to lie still in a confined space
* Major medical disorders (e.g., HIV, cancer)
* Magnetic metallic implants (such as screws, pins, shrapnel remnants, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, inner ear (cochlear) implants, artificial joints, and vascular stents), as these may heat, pull, or twist in the strong magnetic field of the MRI scanner
* Electronic or magnetic implants, such as pacemakers, as these may stop working
* Permanent makeup or tattoos with metallic dyes
* A positive pregnancy test (for females), since the effect of strong magnetic fields and L-Dopa on the developing fetus remains unknown and inconclusive. (all female participants of childbearing potential will have a pregnancy test on the day of the MRI scan. Participants who test positive would be notified of this positive result)
* A self-reported history of loss of consciousness (greater than 30 minutes)
* Physical disabilities that prohibit task performance (such as blindness or deafness)
* Psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia)
* Any other condition that the investigator believes might put the participant at risk

Due to their effects on image quality, participants with the following MAY be ineligible to participate per Principal Investigator's judgment:

* Medications which may affect image quality (e.g., water pills)
* Nonremovable dental implants, such as braces or upper permanent retainers, as these will distort the MRI images we collect (note: filings, crowns, and silver or gold teeth are OK)
* Any other condition, medication, or implant that the investigator believes would degrade image quality or render data unusable

Where it's running

• University of Texas
  Austin, Texas, United States Recruiting
• University of Wisconsin
  Madison, Wisconsin, United States Completed

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Zachary Stowe, MD — University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Study coordinator: Rachel Williams
• Email: rmwilliams5@wisc.edu
• Phone: 608-262-6375

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (gammaCore) for PTSD

  This study will test whether the handheld gammaCore device, which delivers mild electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve through the neck, can help adults with PTSD reduce their symptoms.

  Recruiting Acacia Clinics · Sunnyvale, California · NCT07523685

• Non‑trauma PTSD treatment for veterans and service members with mild or moderate TBI

  This pilot will test a non‑trauma psychotherapy program to help veterans and service members with mild or moderate traumatic brain injury who have PTSD.

  Recruiting The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · Fort Hood, Texas · NCT07351305

• Psilocybin-assisted therapy for PTSD after sexual assault

  This trial will test whether a single 25 mg oral dose of psilocybin combined with therapy helps cisgender women who have PTSD from a sexual assault.

  Recruiting Phase 2 Sunstone Medical · Rockville, Maryland · NCT06902974

• Short-term therapy for PTSD symptoms

  This study is testing a week-long therapy to see if it can help adults with PTSD feel better and reduce their symptoms.

  Recruiting Ben-Gurion University of the Negev · Beersheba · NCT06826937

• Augmented reality-enhanced exposure therapy for PTSD in U.S. military personnel

  This tests whether adding augmented reality to standard exposure therapy helps U.S. military veterans and active-duty adults with PTSD.

  Recruiting Wayne State University · Charleston, South Carolina · NCT06740487

• Working memory training to improve fear extinction in veterans with PTSD

  This study is testing if a special memory training program can help veterans with PTSD learn to manage their fears better.

  Recruiting VA Office of Research and Development · San Diego, California · NCT06629064

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.