NCT01108133

Neural and Pharmacological Correlates of Intrusions in Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 13 (actual)
• Sponsor: Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

There is evidence that glucocorticoids have an impact on intrusive memories in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hydrocortisone impairs intrusive memory retrieval whereas dexamethasone should strengthen intrusions in PTSD. We, the investigators, want to investigate (1) the effect of these two glucocorticoids on traumatic memories and (2) assess the neural correlates using the script-driven imagery paradigm in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. We hypothesize that intrusive memories are less intensive under hydrocortisone-administration and more intense under dexamethasone-administration comparing both to a placebo-condition. Regarding the neural activation pattern we expect higher activation in the hydrocortisone condition in the amygdala, the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex compared to the placebo-condition and less activation in the dexamethasone-condition compared to the placebo-condition.

Detailed description

There is evidence that glucocorticoids have an impact on intrusive memories in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hydrocortisone impairs intrusive memory retrieval whereas dexamethasone should strengthen intrusions in PTSD. We, the investigators, want to investigate (1) the effect of these two glucocorticoids on traumatic memories and (2) assess the neural correlates using the script-driven imagery paradigm in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. Therefore an individual trauma-and an individual neutral -script is assessed from each participant, recorded and replayed during fMRI-scanning. We hypothesize that intrusive memories are less intense under hydrocortisone-administration and more intense under dexamethasone-administration comparing both to a placebo-condition. Regarding the neural activation pattern we expect higher activation in the hydrocortisone condition in the amygdala, the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex compared to the placebo-condition and less activation in the dexamethasone-condition compared to the placebo-condition.

Conditions

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	10 mg HydrocortisoneHöchst	10 mg Hydrocortisone Höchst are administered one hour before fMRI scanning
DRUG	Dexamethasone	2 mg Dexamethasone are administered at 10 pm the day before the fMRI experiment.
DRUG	Placebo	Placebo

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-10-01
• Primary completion: 2013-03-01
• Completion: 2013-03-01
• First posted: 2010-04-21
• Last updated: 2017-07-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Germany