Novel Treatment of Emotional Dysfunction in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

For the sham rTMS with CPT group, the rTMS coil will be placed over the right prefrontal scalp region with the MagStim Rapid Stimulator set to the sham mode so that all conditions are similar to the active delivery mode except that transcranial magnetic stimulation is not administered to the scalp and does not down modulate the right frontal lobe.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a 12 session evidenced based, trauma-focused treatment for PTSD. CPT is a cognitive therapy based on information processing theory and includes components which help the client to (a) access her or his memory of the event, (b) identify and experience her or his emotions until they have been extinguished, and (c) identify and challenge beliefs about the event itself and beliefs about self and the world which have been altered because of the combat related trauma.

For the active rTMS with CPT group, the rTMS coil will be placed over the right prefrontal scalp region with the MagStim Rapid Stimulator set to the active mode. After motor threshold determination, the stimulator coil is positioned over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex - DLPFC (Brodmann Area 9/46). The right frontal rTMS will safely, reversibly, and temporarily down modulate the right frontal lobe. The conducting coil is placed over the scalp while electrical current pulses pass through the coil. This alternating current turned on and off rapidly produces magnetic pulses (1.5-2.0 Tesla strength) that last for 100 - 300 microseconds. The time-varying magnetic pulses induce an electrical field that will result in current flow in neural tissue, thereby activating or deactivating cortex subjacent to the coil.