Using focused ultrasound to help treat anxiety disorders

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 study investigates the use of transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) as a non-invasive method to modulate brain activity in individuals with anxiety disorders. Participants will undergo three visits where they will complete interviews and tasks involving emotional stimuli while their brain activity is monitored using MRI. The primary goal is to assess whether tFUS can effectively target subcortical brain areas associated with escape and avoidance behaviors, potentially improving treatment outcomes for those struggling with anxiety. The study aims to provide insights into the efficacy of tFUS as a precursor to traditional therapeutic interventions.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* 18-65 y.o.
* Meets criteria for an anxiety disorder (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia), posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or current adjustment disorder with anxiety
* Is currently seeking mental health treatment
* Is able to read consent document and provide informed consent.
* English is a first or primary fluent language.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current alcohol or substance use disorder of more than mild severity (as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 and determined using standardized self-report instruments)
* Lifetime diagnosis of psychotic disorder or bipolar mania
* Presence of neurological disorder that contraindicates brain stimulation or neurophysiological recording: Seizure disorder
* Lifetime history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness
* Neurodegenerative disorder (e.g., Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia)
* Presence of other medical disorder that would make it too uncomfortable to sit or lie still for long recording periods
* Presence of standard contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging
* Metal in the body
* Currently pregnant
* Claustrophobia
* Significant sensitivity to noise
* Medical conditions or treatments that lower seizure threshold
* History of severe brain injury
* History of seizures/ epilepsy
* Currently taking anticholinergic mediation, neuroleptic medication, or sedative/ hypnotic medication

Note: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), cholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists are allowed if patient has been on a stable regimen of four weeks prior to enrollment

* Currently taking chronic opiate medications or substances
* Currently taking naltrexone

Where it's running

• Medical University of South Carolina
  Charleston, South Carolina, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Christopher Sege, PhD — Medical University of South Carolina
• Study coordinator: Christopher T Sege, PhD
• Email: sege@musc.edu
• Phone: (843) 501-1718

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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.