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Cannabinoid Control of Fear Extinction Neural Circuits in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
The goal of this study is to look at how a type of drug called cannabinoids are related to the processing of fear signals, the experience of emotions and fear, and the pattern of activity in the brain that is involved in these processes and how this relates to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after experiencing a traumatic event(s) and is characterized by unwanted memories of the trauma(s) through flashbacks or nightmares, avoidance of situations that remind the person of the event, difficulty experiencing emotions, loss of interest in activities the person used to enjoy, and increased arousal, such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, anger and hypervigilance. The information gained from this study could lead to the development of new treatments for persons who suffer from anxiety or fear-based disorders.
Details
| Lead sponsor | Wayne State University |
|---|---|
| Phase | NA |
| Status | COMPLETED |
| Enrolment | 86 |
| Start date | 2014-11 |
| Completion | 2019-12 |
Conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Interventions
- Dronabinol
- Placebo
Primary outcomes
- Brain Measures — Brain measures are collected on Visit 3, 14 days from baseline (Visit 1) and Visit 4, 15 days from baseline (Visit 1), for approximately 1.5 hours each day
Mean functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) BOLD activation extracted from each region of interests \[amygdala; ventromedial prefrontal cortex; hippocampus\] for each stimulus type (CS+E, CS+U, CS-). The units of BOLD values are expressed as arbitrary units. - Expectancy Ratings — Collected on Visit 2, 13 days from baseline (Visit 1), Visit 3, 14 days from baseline (Visit 1), and Visit 4, 15 days from baseline, during the task. Each day the task lasted approximately 20 minutes.
To assess the expected likelihood that an aversive cue (e.g. noise burst) will occur or not based on the CS shown on the screen. Participants rate their expectancy of the aversive cue using a button box on a scale from 1 to 3 \[1 = certain that the aversive cue will be presented (Yes); 2 = certain that the aversive cue will not be presented (No); 3 = uncertain whether the aversive cue will be presented (I don't know)\]. Counts of "yes", "no", and "I don't know" are collected on the first (early) trial of the CS and the last (late) trial of the CS.
Countries
United States