Home › Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder › NCT06363968

Biomarkers in the Retina for Prognosticating Mental Health Treatments

Electroretinogram (ERG) as a Potential Biomarker of Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)-Responsive Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Pilot Study

Who can join

Ages 21 to 75 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
* Current diagnosis of PTSD

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known diagnosis of a primary psychotic or major neurocognitive disorder
* Significant bilateral visual loss
* History of acute angle closure glaucoma
* Known inherited retinal disease
* Previous ERG deficits
* Known photosensitive epilepsy
* Known current pregnancy or lactation
* Allergy or previous adverse reaction to sertraline or SSRI
* Allergy to Sensor Strip gel
* Hepatic failure
* Damage to orbit structure or open lesion in soft tissue surrounding the eye
* Any use in the time period of at least 6 half-lives prior to baseline of sertraline or other drugs acting on serotonin and/or unwillingness to avoid these medications for the duration of the study.

About the study

Title: ERG as a potential biomarker of SSRI-responsive PTSD: A pilot study

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many individuals who experience a traumatic event. Previous studies suggest that there is a connection between the brain and the retina, and that the electroretinogram (ERG) may be a valuable biomarker to tell us more about signals in the brain that are related to mental health disorders like PTSD. The goal of this observational study is to examine the ERG waveform in veterans with PTSD before and after a single dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), sertraline. Sertraline is one of two FDA-approved medications for the treatment of PTSD. The main questions this pilot study aims to answer are:

1. How does sertraline, an SSRI, influence the ERG waveform in veterans with PTSD? 2. Is there a significant correlation between baseline ERG signals and the change in ERG following SSRI treatment?

Participants will be asked to:

* Undergo ERG recordings before and after a single dose of sertraline. * Provide relevant clinical information related to PTSD symptoms and treatment history.

Following the initial study visits, participants will enter an optional open label phase of the study in which qualifying participants who initiate antidepressant treatment through routine clinical care will be invited back for a follow-up ERG recording.

What is being tested

• RETeval (device)

Sponsor: VA Puget Sound Health Care System · Participants: 50 · Started: Feb 12, 2024

Contact the study team

• Katharine J Liang, MD, PhD · Phone: (206) 277-6538
• Rebecca C Hendrickson · Phone: 206-277-5054

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06363968

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.