Using an Approved Depression Treatment to Restore Cognitive Function in Veterans with Mild TBI and PTSD

Principal Investigator: Dr. Theresa Bender Pape​
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Disease: Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD

Research Description: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often result in cognitive and neural impairments that negatively impact daily function. For veterans with mild TBI (mTBI) and co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (mTBI + PTSD), these impairments are more severe and more treatment resistant. Non-invasive neuromodulation, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS, approved to treat depression and bipolar disorder), is a promising treatment avenue to help recover cognitive abilities. The research team will leverage an ongoing Department of Defense-funded clinical trial designed to identify a unique treatment site for a type of rTMS for each patient. The proposed substudy will examine the minimum number of rTMS treatments needed for functional recovery and how customized treatment sites might change over time  as patients experience functional improvements. These data could lead to larger studies to better target rTMS over the course of treatment and improve daily life for veterans with mTBI + PTSD.

Funding Partners: The Kahlert Foundation, Westlake Health Foundation and other funders

CWR funding role: Participating funder