Sympathetic Overactivity in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Prehypertension

In brief

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly prevalent anxiety disorder that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and hypertension. One potential mechanism is overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), both at rest and particularly during stress. This study will evaluate whether 8 weeks of daily DGB therapy or transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) therapy improves SNS activity at rest and during stress.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01627301

Run by

Emory University

People needed

120

Starts

2012-07-01

Expected to finish

2027-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-15

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• prehypertensive and normotensive veterans with PTSD, and prehypertensive and normotensive veterans without PTSD (controls)

You may not qualify if…

• heart or vascular disease
• illicit drug use within the last 6 months
• excessive alcohol use (>2 drinks per day)
• pregnancy
• autonomic dysfunction
• medications known to affect SNS (clonidine)
• treatment with monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors within the last 14 days
• any serious systemic disease

Where it is running

• Atlanta VA Medical Center — Decatur, Georgia, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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