Predicting nightmare awakenings in PTSD using an AI algorithm
Official title: Validation of an Algorithm for Predicting Awakenings Associated With Trauma-related Nightmares, Based on the Analysis of Physiological Patterns in Military and Former Military Patients Suffering From Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Run by Direction Centrale du Service de Santé des Armées · NCT07851480 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The study tests an AI tool called CAUD-PIN to see if it can reliably predict when trauma-related nightmares will wake military personnel or veterans with PTSD.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 27 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Direction Centrale du Service de Santé des Armées Academic / other |
| Locations | 3 sites (Brest and 2 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 30, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 2027 |
| Study ends | October 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 1, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07851480 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Active military personnel or veterans aged 18–65 with combat-related PTSD and frequent trauma-related nightmares (≥4 per week) who are under psychiatric care at participating military hospitals and meet other criteria.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals without frequent trauma-related nightmares or not meeting eligibility may not benefit from the predictive approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study validates the CAUD-PIN algorithm by collecting physiological data from at-home wearables (an EEG headband and a wrist sensor) over 15 nights. Participants press a button after nightmare awakenings and complete daily sleep and daytime diaries, with two in-person assessments at enrollment and one month later. The goal is to determine if CAUD-PIN can predict nightmare-related awakenings with sensitivity above 80% and identify which signals are most predictive. The trial is conducted at three military hospitals with active duty personnel or veterans receiving PTSD care. It uses non-invasive sensors and patient-reported outcomes to evaluate a machine-learning approach to predicting nightmares.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, CAUD-PIN could enable personalized monitoring and potentially timely interventions for PTSD-related nightmares.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in sleep and PTSD using AI show promise, but this specific CAUD-PIN approach is novel in its home-based, multi-sensor prediction.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 18 and 65 years (age limit related to military status) * Active military personnel or veterans * Receiving psychiatric care in a military hospital (HNIA Bégin, HNIA Percy, or HRIA Brest) for PTSD related to combat trauma (exposure to death or life-threatening situations) * PCL-5 score \> 33 * Written informed consent obtained * Trauma-related nightmares occurring ≥ 4 times per week Exclusion Criteria: * Pre-existing progressive psychiatric disorder prior to trauma (condition requiring long-term treatment \> 1 year) * Sleep disorder affecting sleep architecture (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, narcolepsy) * Neurological disorder (acute confusional state, severe traumatic brain injury) Inability to provide informed consent * Persons under legal protection measures (guardianship, curatorship, or equivalent judicial protection) * Persons not affiliated with a social security scheme
Where it's running
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Clermont Tonnerre Regional Military Teaching Hospital, psychiatry department
Brest, France Recruiting -
Bégin National Military Teaching Hospital
Saint-Mandé, Île-de-France Region, France Recruiting -
Percy National Military Teaching Hospital, Department of Psychiatry
Clamart, France Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Emeric SAGUIN, MD, PhD — Department of Psychiatry, Begin National Military Teaching Hospital, Saint-Mandé, 94160, France
- Study coordinator: Emeric SAGUIN, MD, PhD
- Email: emeric.saguin@intradef.gouv.fr
- Phone: +33 01 43 98 54 40
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.