Researchers looked back at data from adults with chronic mild traumatic brain injury symptoms who also had PTSD. They focused on a specific subgroup of these patients who received non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation as an additional treatment. The study measured changes in symptoms using a standard questionnaire called the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory.
After 3 to 4 months, patients in this subgroup showed reduced overall symptom burden. Their average symptom scores decreased from 2.50 to 2.03 on the questionnaire. The study also found improvements in specific symptom areas, though exact numbers weren't reported.
This was a small, preliminary analysis looking back at existing data, not a new clinical trial. There was no comparison group, and important details like sample size and safety information weren't reported. The findings suggest a possible link but don't prove the treatment caused the improvement.
Readers should know this is early, limited evidence. More research with proper comparison groups is needed before we can understand if this treatment truly helps people with both chronic brain injury and PTSD.