Image by Stijn Swinnen, from Unsplash
Nerve Stimulation Therapy Offers Durable PTSD Symptom Reduction
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
A clinical trial demonstrates that vagus nerve stimulation, when combined with exposure therapy, effectively mitigates PTSD symptoms in treatment-resistant patients.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with therapy significantly mitigated PTSD symptomatology in resistant cases.
- Miniaturized device yielded fewer adverse events compared to standard systems.
- Study participants reported high satisfaction and minimal issues with the implanted device.
A new study has shown promising results for a novel treatment that combines vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with prolonged exposure (PE) therapy to help people with severe, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The study, which is the largest clinical trial to date using an implanted device for PTSD treatment, found that this paired approach not only proved safe and feasible but also delivered long-lasting, clinically meaningful improvements in PTSD symptoms.
The miniaturized VNS system (about 50 times smaller than conventional implants) was activated during therapy sessions, sending brief electrical pulses to the brain to enhance the effects of exposure therapy.
Among the nine participants, all of whom had not responded to other treatments, PTSD symptoms such as anxiety, hyperarousal, and social withdrawal were significantly reduced, and none met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD after 12 sessions. Improvements lasted at least six months beyond the end of therapy.
Researchers attribute the effectiveness of this approach to its ability to enhance synaptic plasticity in fear-processing networks.
Although some mild side effects such as nausea and poor sleep were reported, no serious adverse events occurred, and most participants expressed satisfaction with the treatment. The device can also be removed post-therapy if desired.
While non-invasive alternatives to VNS exist, they have shown limited effectiveness. Importantly, this study was open-label and lacked a placebo group, making a future double-blind, randomized controlled trial essential to confirm the findings.
Nevertheless, the results provide a compelling case for VNS as a powerful tool for enhancing recovery in patients with chronic PTSD who have few remaining options.
Image by AppsHunter.io, from Unsplash
Crypto Scam Exploits Discord Bots, Steals From 30,000 Wallets
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
A Discord-based phishing operation called Inferno Drainer has stolen $9 million from over 30,000 crypto wallets using fake bots and smart contracts.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Inferno Drainer stole $9M in six months via Discord phishing scams.
- Over 30,000 crypto wallets have been compromised since late 2023.
- Victims unknowingly sign malicious transactions draining their funds instantly.
A highly organized cybercrime group known as Inferno Drainer has stolen over $9 million from more than 30,000 crypto wallets in just six months, according to new findings from Check Point Research .
The group, which publicly claimed to shut down operations in late 2023, appears to remain active—employing advanced evasion techniques to continue draining digital assets undetected.
Inferno Drainer targets victims through Discord phishing campaigns, primarily by impersonating Collab.Land, a widely used verification bot in crypto communities.
Users are tricked into connecting their crypto wallets to fake websites that mimic legitimate platforms. Once connected, victims unknowingly authorize malicious transactions that instantly transfer their funds to attacker-controlled wallets.
The operation’s sophistication lies in its layered evasion strategy. Inferno Drainer deploys single-use smart contracts to bypass blacklist detection, encrypts command-and-control infrastructure within blockchain data to obscure server details, and rapidly cycles through new domains to avoid takedown efforts.
Among the most devastating breaches, some victims lost over $1 million in a single transaction. Despite announcing their closure months ago, the group’s infrastructure remains operational, raising concerns over continued or copycat attacks.
Cybersecurity experts urge crypto users to verify all URLs before connecting wallets, avoid interacting with unverified Discord bots, and consider using “burner” wallets with limited funds when engaging in airdrops or new DeFi projects.
