Personalized Brain Stimulation to Treat Chronic Concussive Symptoms

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES · Oct 4, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new type of treatment for people aged 18 to 65 who are experiencing ongoing symptoms after a concussion or mild brain injury. These symptoms may include dizziness, headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues, irritability, or anxiety. The goal is to test a personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which aims to improve brain function and reduce these symptoms. The researchers want to find out if TMS can help improve brain connections, lessen avoidance behaviors related to these symptoms, and if the benefits last for up to two months after treatment.

To participate, individuals must have had a mild traumatic brain injury within the last year and experience a significant number of post-concussion symptoms. Participants will go through a total of 14 visits at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). This includes assessments to measure symptoms and brain scans, followed by ten sessions of TMS. There’s a good chance (66%) that participants will receive the active TMS treatment, while others may get a placebo version that doesn’t have the same effects. It's important to know that certain health conditions and previous treatments may prevent someone from joining the study. Overall, this trial aims to explore a promising new approach to help those struggling with chronic concussive symptoms.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) defined in accord with the World Health Organization criteria in the last 12 months
• • age 18-65 at the time of the mTBI
• • high burden of post-concussive symptoms defined as a score \>=20 on the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • objective neurologic deficits
• • ongoing or prolonged (\>3 months) post-concussive symptoms from a prior mTBI within 2 years of the index injury
• • history of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy
• • contraindications for TMS or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (e.g., metallic implant other than dental, pacemaker)
• • severe mental, physical, or medical problems that would impede participation or pose a risk for the planned intervention (e.g., liver, kidney, or heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, malignancy, psychosis, previous seizure, pregnancy)
• • active alcohol or illicit drug abuse
• • inability to speak and read English