Pharmacological enhancement of exposure-based treatment in PTSD: a qualitative review

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Rianne A. de Kleine, Radboud University Nijmegen; Barbara Rothbaum, Emory University; Agnes van Minnen, Radboud University Nijmegen
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-10-17
• Publisher: Co-Action Publishing
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Rianne A. de Kleine et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21626
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: European Journal of Psychotraumatology Supplement
• ISSN: 2000-8198
• Volume: 4
• Keywords: Psychiatry; POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER; FEAR EXTINCTION; cognitive enhancers; 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE ECSTASY; Science & Technology; BEHAVIORAL-THERAPY; treatment efficacy; Psychology, Clinical; OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER; Psychology; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; D-CYCLOSERINE; PROLONGED EXPOSURE; ANXIETY DISORDERS; Social Sciences; Posttraumatic stress disorder; exposure therapy; PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS
• Research Categories: Psychology, Behavioral; Health Sciences, Pharmacology

Abstract

There is a good amount of evidence that exposure therapy is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Notwithstanding its efficacy, there is room for improvement, since a large proportion of patients does not benefit from treatment. Recently, an interesting new direction in the improvement of exposure therapy efficacy for PTSD emerged. Basic research found evidence of the pharmacological enhancement of the underlying learning and memory processes of exposure therapy. The current review aims to give an overview of clinical studies on pharmacological enhancement of exposure-based treatment for PTSD. The working mechanisms, efficacy studies in PTSD patients, and clinical utility of four different pharmacological enhancers will be discussed: d-cycloserine, MDMA, hydrocortisone, and propranolol.