Nerve Stimulation Therapy Offers Durable PTSD Symptom Reduction

A clinical trial demonstrates that vagus nerve stimulation, when combined with exposure therapy, effectively mitigates PTSD symptoms in treatment-resistant patients.

A new study has shown promising results for a novel treatment that combines vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with prolonged exposure (PE) therapy to help people with severe, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The study, which is the largest clinical trial to date using an implanted device for PTSD treatment, found that this paired approach not only proved safe and feasible but also delivered long-lasting, clinically meaningful improvements in PTSD symptoms.

The miniaturized VNS system (about 50 times smaller than conventional implants) was activated during therapy sessions, sending brief electrical pulses to the brain to enhance the effects of exposure therapy.

Among the nine participants, all of whom had not responded to other treatments, PTSD symptoms such as anxiety, hyperarousal, and social withdrawal were significantly reduced, and none met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD after 12 sessions. Improvements lasted at least six months beyond the end of therapy.

Researchers attribute the effectiveness of this approach to its ability to enhance synaptic plasticity in fear-processing networks.

Although some mild side effects such as nausea and poor sleep were reported, no serious adverse events occurred, and most participants expressed satisfaction with the treatment. The device can also be removed post-therapy if desired.

While non-invasive alternatives to VNS exist, they have shown limited effectiveness. Importantly, this study was open-label and lacked a placebo group, making a future double-blind, randomized controlled trial essential to confirm the findings.

Nevertheless, the results provide a compelling case for VNS as a powerful tool for enhancing recovery in patients with chronic PTSD who have few remaining options.