Beta Blocker Could Help Treat PTSD
The β-blockers propranolol may be a novel and effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the results of a recent study.
Specifically, researchers sought to test the effectiveness of trauma memory reactivation under the influence of propranolol as a putative reconsolidation blocker for the reduction of symptoms of PTSD.
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They conducted a 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial involving 60 adults diagnosed with long-standing PTSD. The participants were randomly assigned to either propranolol or placebo, administered 90 minutes before brief memory reactivation sessions, once a week for 6 weeks. Treatment effect was measured on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the patient-rated PTSD Checklist–Specific (PCL-S).
Overall, the estimated group difference in CAPS score was statistically significant (11.50), and the within-group pre- to posttreatment effect sizes were 1.76 for propranolol and 1.25 for placebo. The mixed linear model’s estimated time-by-group interaction yielded an average decrease of 2.43 points per week, with a total significant difference of 14.58 points above placebo, on the PCL-S. The pre- to posttreatment effect sizes were 2.74 for propranolol and 0.55 for placebo.
“Pre-reactivation propranolol, a treatment protocol suggested by reconsolidation theory, appears to be a novel and efficacious treatment for PTSD. Replication studies using a long-term follow-up in various trauma populations are required,” the researchers concluded.
—Michael Potts
Reference:
Brunet A, Saumier D, Liu A, et al. Reduction of PTSD symptoms with pre-reactivation propranolol therapy: a randomized controlled trial. AJP. 2018;175(5):427-433.