Home Diseases and Conditions Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Development Stage

Early Stage

Focused ultrasound research is in the laboratory phase and is not yet available for patients.

Clinical Trials

Focused ultrasound for this condition is being researched in clinical trials.

International Approval

Focused ultrasound is approved to treat this condition outside the US. Patients can seek commercial treatment at participating international sites.

FDA Approved

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved focus ultrasound for this condition. Patients can seek commercial treatment at participating sites.

Early Stage

Clinical Trials

International

FDA Approved

Focused ultrasound for this condition is being researched in clinical trials.

Focused Ultrasound Therapy

Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with PTSD. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue.

How it Works
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces neuromodulation, or alterations in the neural responsiveness of target tissues. By altering the responsiveness of the tissues, the impacts on the various symptoms of PTSD are being evaluated.

The primary options for treatment of PTSD include therapy and medication.

For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a non-invasive and more effective alternative to conventional care. While significant work has been accomplished, there is still much to be done before this technology will be widely available.

Advantages

  • Focused ultrasound is non-invasive, so it does not carry added concerns like surgical wound healing or infection.
  • Focused ultrasound can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue.
  • It can be repeated, if necessary.

Clinical Trials

There is a clinical trial, treating a depression that also includes treatment of PTSD, in Providence, RI.

The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here, it will take you to the latest information available from https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. 

Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement

Focused ultrasound treatment for PTSD is not yet approved by regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies.

Notable Papers

Manocchio F, Enepekides J, Nestor S, Giacobbe P, Rabin JS, Burke MJ, Lanctôt KL, Goubran M, Meng Y, Lipsman N, Hamani C, Davidson B. Neuromodulation as a therapeutic approach for post-traumatic stress disorder: the evidence to date. Expert Rev Neurother. 2025 Jan;25(1):101-120. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2024.2442658. Epub 2024 Dec 24. PMID: 39704493