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Induction of Dreaming With EEG and Anesthesia for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

NCT06577636 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 42

Last updated 2026-02-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this study is to test whether anesthesia-induced dreaming can help alleviate symptoms of PTSD in an (1) open-label trial (Phase I) and (2) double-blind, randomized controlled trial (Phase II) in a non-surgical setting. The investigators predict that inducing and sustaining a dream state prior to emergence from anesthesia will result in reduced symptoms of PTSD. Participants will undergo EEG-guided propofol anesthesia during which they will be either (1) receiving deep sedation leading to loss of responsiveness, designed to elicit dream reports upon emergence (Dream Protocol), and/or (2) light sedation without loss of responsiveness, designed to elicit non-dream experiential reports while responsive (e.g., simple imagery, sounds, thoughts, bodily sensations, hypnagogic-like experiences) (Non-Dream Protocol). The investigators will then investigate whether the deep-sedation Dream Condition is associated with a larger reduction in PTSD symptoms than the light-sedation Non-Dream Condition.

Conditions

  • PTSD
  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Propofol anesthesia

EEG-guided infusion of anesthestetics

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Boris D Heifets, MD, PhD · Stanford University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
70 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-07-21
Primary Completion
2026-12-31
Completion
2026-12-31
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases
Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06577636 on ClinicalTrials.gov