Inflammatory Challenge and Fear Extinction: A Model to Enhance Understanding of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
University of California, San Francisco
Summary
The goal of this study is to learn if short-term changes in the immune system alter how we process information and experience fear. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do people who receive typhoid vaccine respond differently than those who receive a placebo saline vaccine? Do people who receive typhoid vaccine experience changes in how they think and feel? Participants will: Attend four appointments at the San Francisco VA Health Care System; Receive typhoid vaccine or placebo at one of the visits; Have their physiological responding measured while listening to sounds; Complete questionnaires and psychological tests.
Description
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic disorder affecting more than 8% of the general population and two-three times as many women as men. Deficits in fear responding play a critical role in PTSD. Interventions that target fear responding are first-line treatments for PTSD, but they are only partially effective. To develop new and enhanced interventions, we need a better understanding of the factors that influence fear responding in PTSD in both females and males. One such factor is inflammation, which is elevated in response to acute psychological stress and in PTSD. Preclinical mo…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: All Subjects: 1. Aged 18-60 years old 2. Trauma Exposed 3. Current PTSD/No history of PTSD Exclusion Criteria: 1. Contraindications to typhoid vaccine 2. Conditions associated with inflammation 3. Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant in next three months
Interventions
- BiologicalTyphoid VI Polysaccharide Vaccine Injectable Solution
Salmonella typhi capsular polysaccharide vaccine (Typhoid Vi Polysaccharide Vaccine): Each dose of 0.5ml Salmonella typhi capsular polysaccharide vaccine (Sanofi Pasteur, SA) is formulated to contain 25μg of purified Vi polysaccharide in a colorless isotonic phosphate buffered saline (pH 7±0.3), 4.150mg of sodium chloride, 0.065mg of disodium phosphate, 0.023mg of monosodium phosphate and 0.5ml of sterile water for injection. It is indicated for use by humans aged 2 years and older for protection against typhoid fever.
- OtherSaline Placebo (0.5mL injection)
The placebo injection will consist of 0.5mL of saline.
Location
- San Francisco VA Health Care SystemSan Francisco, California