Pilot Trial of Neural Correlates of Response to Treatment of PTSD-Associated Impulsive Aggression
Status unconfirmed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Impulsive Aggression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
In brief
The purpose of this study is to identify changes in brain functioning which are related to reduced frequency and/or intensity of impulsive aggressive actions after treatment of PTSD-related impulsive aggression with either phenytoin or cognitive behavioral therapy.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT00333931
- Run by
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
- People needed
- 12
- Starts
- 2006-06-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2006-06-06
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Inclusion Criteria for both groups will be right-handed adult combat veterans over the age of 18 who meet criteria for PTSD via Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I, First, 2002) and Impulsive Aggression as the primary diagnoses. To be included in the study with a designation of Impulsive Aggression, patients must have committed at least three aggressive acts over the preceding three months meeting criteria for impulsive aggressive acts by Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scales (IPAS) criteria (Stanford et al 2003) based on a semi-structured interview of the patient and his/her significant other. An impulsive aggressive act is defined as a hair-trigger, non-premeditated response to a stimulus that results in an immediate aggressive act or an agitated state that culminates in an aggressive act, which is clearly disproportionate to the triggering stimulus. Inclusion criteria for both groups also includes the availability for participation of a significant other who can participate in the study. The significant other will need to accompany the study participant to the initial assessment interview and complete measures of aggressive acts which have been committed by the study participants in the three months prior to the start of the study, and aggressive acts during the previous two weeks at two-week interval follow-up visits throughout the eight-week treatment period.
You may not qualify if…
- Exclusion Criteria for both groups will include exclusion criteria for MRI scanning, and known claustrophobia requiring sedation in the past during MRI scanning. MRI exclusion criteria will include metallic implants, implanted devices of any kind, such as a cardiac pacemaker, cardiac defibrillator, insulin pump, vagal nerve stimulator, cochlear implant, metallic splinters in the eye, ferromagnetic clips or metal in the head or brain (as from previous injury or head/brain surgery including brain aneurysm clipping), lead wires of any kind, clips or stints anywhere in the body, such as clips for arterial aneurysm clipping, stints in cardiac arteries or other arteries anywhere in the body, prosthetic heart valves, stapedial implants of any kind (implants in the inner ear).
Where it is running
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center — Houston, Texas, United States (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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