Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment: Using Ketamine to Enhance Memory Reconsolidation and Extinction of Overgeneralized Fear in Individuals Diagnosed With PTSD
Yale University
Summary
The purpose of this study is to test if the combination of ketamine, vs midazolam, with an intensive trauma-focused psychotherapy will be more effective in relieving post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This week-long treatment has the potential to produce a significant therapeutic effect that otherwise would take months to occur. The study will also focus on learning about the neurophysiological changes produced by the proposed clinical trial.
Description
Based on the current research findings on the therapeutic effectiveness of trauma focus psychotherapy and of ketamine combining the two treatments may yield a promising new rapid week-long treatment for PTSD. As PTSD symptoms' structure is comprised of several unique clusters which include re-experiencing, avoidance, depression and hypervigilance the investigators hypothesize that by combining Ketamine with trauma-focused psychotherapy the proposed intervention can address these PTSD symptoms clusters more effectively than existing treatments. This proposed clinical trial has the potential to…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 21–70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female between the ages of 21-70 years. This age range was chosen to fit with prior samples in which no adverse effects of ketamine have been observed. Adults in the 18-20 ranges have been eliminated because previous experience indicates that they often lack the maturity to participate effectively in similar protocols. Females will be included if they are not pregnant and agreed to utilize a medically accepted birth control method (to include oral, injectable, or implant birth control, condom, diaphragm with spermicide, intrauterine device, tubal ligation, abstin…
Interventions
- DrugKetamine
Week-long exposure therapy with ketamine infusion on day 2 and 4 of the psychotherapy
- DrugMidazolam
Week-long exposure therapy with midazolam infusion on day 2 and 4 of the psychotherapy
Locations (2)
- Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, Connecticut
- Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv