New Study Identifies Potential Neuromodulation Target for PTSD in Veterans
New Study Identifies Potential Neuromodulation Target for PTSD in Veterans
A Breakthrough Collaboration Between Acacia Clinics and Leading Researchers Paves the Way for Innovative PTSD Treatments
Sunnyvale, Calif., September 24, 2024 — Acacia Clinics is proud to announce its involvement in a groundbreaking new study published in Nature Neuroscience, which identifies a specific brain circuit as a potential target for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans. The study, led by Shan Siddiqi, MD a neuropsychiatrist in the Brigham’s Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics and an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School Brigham and Women’s Hospital with contribution by David Carreon, MD, Co-founder of Acacia Clinics, is a significant step toward advancing neurostimulation therapies for PTSD.
The research, based on data from 193 Vietnam veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injuries, shows that damage to brain areas connected to the amygdala—the brain's "fear center"—can protect against PTSD. By mapping these lesions to a specific brain circuit, the study provides a blueprint for targeting PTSD with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
“This is one of the first times in the history of psychiatry that we successfully designed a treatment,” said Dr. David Carreon, co-author of the paper and CEO of Acacia Clinics. “We’re entering a new age where we are actually beginning to understand what we’re doing and why, rather than the trial and mostly error of the past.”
Dr. Shan Siddiqi, the study’s lead author and an Acacia Clinics affiliate, echoed the excitement surrounding the findings. “This is a very real brain disease, and we can localize it to certain brain circuits.”
A New Era for PTSD Treatment
The researchers utilized advanced brain mapping techniques to uncover the protective brain circuit connected to the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex. This discovery builds upon previous successes in using TMS to treat conditions like depression and addiction.
Real-World Application at Acacia Clinics
During the study, Acacia Clinics demonstrated the clinical applications of the research. A patient with severe PTSD sought treatment at Acacia’s Sunnyvale California clinic. Guided by the research findings, clinicians used targeted TMS to modulate the patient’s brain circuit over 5 days, resulting in dramatic improvement.
“This case shows the potential of translating research into real-world results at an incredible speed,” said Dr. Carreon. “This is just the beginning. We’re excited about the possibilities this new therapeutic target brings for veterans and civilians affected by PTSD.”
“This circuit-based, neuroimaging and neuromodulation approach advanced by the Acacia team represents a long-awaited paradigm shift in psychiatry: measure the organ you want to change”, said Russell Toll, PhD, Army combat veteran, Executive director at Compassion Neuroscience and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, who was not involved with this project. “I’ve seen this methodology yield remarkable results firsthand at Compassion Neuroscience, especially among veterans.”
Looking Forward
Acacia Clinics has begun to offer this treatment as an off-label approach to addressing PTSD in veterans and civilians alike. The team will also advocate for expanded insurance payment to expand access to this approach. Future prospective clinical trials are being planned to further explore this circuit.
About Acacia Clinics
Acacia Clinics is a leader in cutting-edge mental health treatments, specializing in advanced neurostimulation therapies like TMS, Accelerated TMS, and the pioneer of HOPE-TMS® . With a focus on innovative solutions for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD, Acacia Clinics is committed to delivering the highest quality care through research-driven approaches to empower patients to not only live well but flourish. Acacia Clinics accepts most insurance including Tricare, though not all services they offer are covered.
For more information, visit www.acaciaclinics.com or contact [email protected]
