Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
Recent data suggest that the cannabinoid-system is involved in stress regulation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Low endocannabinoid signaling has been found in PTSD patients and might even present a precondition to develop PTSD after trauma. The aim of the current project is to investigate the impact of an activation of the cannabinoid system with an exogenous cannabinoid (dronabinol, i.e., delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) on fear conditioning.
Detailed description
Recent data suggest that the cannabinoid-system is involved in stress regulation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Low endocannabinoid signaling has been found in PTSD patients and might even present a precondition to develop PTSD after trauma. In consequence, increased endocannabinoid signaling during acquisition and consolidation of traumatic events might be a promising approach to prevent the development of PTSD. The aim of the current project is to investigate the impact of an activation of the cannabinoid system with an exogenous cannabinoid (dronabinol, i.e., delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) on tfear conditioning in patients with PTSD and healthy controls.
Interventions
single administration of 2.5mg Dronabinol oral (oily solution)
DRUGPlacebo
single administration of placebo oral (oily solution)
Sponsors
Charite University, Berlin, Germany
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)
Masking description
blinding
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* PTSD criteria fullfilled (patients only)
Exclusion criteria
* All cases of physical illnesses and intake of medication (except oral contraceptives) (healthy controls only) will be excluded. * Pregnant and lactating individuals will also be excluded. Participants with a positive urinary cannabinoid test (Cannabis 20 Pipettier-Drogenschnelltest (Urin), Diagnostik Nord GmbH) will also be excluded. * psychiatric disorder according to DSM-5 (healthy controls only)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| extinction learning | 30 minutes | extinction learning in fear conditioning paradigm: skin conductance reaction |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| empathy | 15 minutes | cognitive and emotional empathy: number of correct answers & rating of own emotional state |
| Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task | 15 minutes | learning and cognitive flexibility: reaction times |
| selective attention | 10 minutes | emotional dot-probe task: attentional bias index |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed