Deep Brain Sound Stimulation for Trauma: 
Precision Auditory Stimulation

Background: Trauma-related disorders, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD), significantly impair emotional, cognitive, and social functioning. Traditional treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy often face challenges related to accessibility, duration, and side effects.Objective: This preliminary observational study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of Deep Brain Sound Stimulation (DBSS), a novel non-invasive auditory therapy, for individuals with PTSD and DTD based on user-reported outcomes.Methods: Data were collected from 267 users (187 PTSD, 80 DTD) who completed DBSS therapy via the Vital Tones mobile application on the Apple App Store. Participants self-administered DBSS sessions at home and provided symptom reports through in-app surveys. User satisfaction was assessed using purchase and refund data, while symptom improvement was evaluated using descriptive statistics to determine median effectiveness and confidence intervals.Results: High user satisfaction was observed, with 99.47% of PTSD users and 97.50% of DTD users satisfied with the treatment. Refund rates were low, with only 0.53% (1/187) of PTSD users and 2.5% (2/80) of DTD users requesting refunds. Among 20 survey respondents, median symptom improvement was 80% for PTSD (95% CI: 57.60%–82.40%) and 50% for DTD (95% CI: 46.14%–73.86%). DBSS was well-tolerated, with no severe adverse events and only minor side effects such as transient dizziness and mild headaches.Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest that DBSS is a promising non-invasive treatment for trauma-related disorders, offering significant symptom reduction and high user satisfaction. Its accessibility and safety profile provide advantages over traditional therapies. However, the study’s observational design, limited survey sample, and reliance on self-reported data highlight the need for further controlled research to confirm DBSS’s efficacy and safety for PTSD and DTD.