TY - JOUR
T1 - Pharmacological modulation of acute trauma memories to prevent PTSD
T2 - Considerations from a developmental perspective
AU - Hruska, Bryce
AU - Cullen, Patrick K.
AU - Delahanty, Douglas L.
PY - 2014/7
Y1 - 2014/7
N2 - Estimates of the lifetime prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in American adults range from 6.4% to 6.8%. PTSD is associated with increased risk for comorbid major depression, substance use disorder, suicide, and a variety of other mental and physical health conditions. Given the negative sequelae of trauma/PTSD, research has focused on identifying efficacious interventions that could be administered soon after a traumatic event to prevent or reduce the subsequent incidence of PTSD. While early psychosocial interventions have been shown to be relatively ineffective, early (secondary) pharmacological interventions have shown promise. These pharmacological approaches are largely based on the hypothesis that disruption of altered stress hormone levels and the consequent formation of trauma memories could protect against the development of PTSD. The present manuscript reviews the literature regarding the role of peri-traumatic stress hormones as risk factors for the development of PTSD and reviews evidence for the efficacy of exogenously modulating stress hormone levels to prevent/buffer the development of PTSD symptoms. Whereas prior literature has focused primarily on either child or adult studies, the present review incorporates both child and adult studies in a developmental approach to understanding risk for PTSD and how pharmacological modulation of acute memories may buffer the development of PTSD symptoms.
AB - Estimates of the lifetime prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in American adults range from 6.4% to 6.8%. PTSD is associated with increased risk for comorbid major depression, substance use disorder, suicide, and a variety of other mental and physical health conditions. Given the negative sequelae of trauma/PTSD, research has focused on identifying efficacious interventions that could be administered soon after a traumatic event to prevent or reduce the subsequent incidence of PTSD. While early psychosocial interventions have been shown to be relatively ineffective, early (secondary) pharmacological interventions have shown promise. These pharmacological approaches are largely based on the hypothesis that disruption of altered stress hormone levels and the consequent formation of trauma memories could protect against the development of PTSD. The present manuscript reviews the literature regarding the role of peri-traumatic stress hormones as risk factors for the development of PTSD and reviews evidence for the efficacy of exogenously modulating stress hormone levels to prevent/buffer the development of PTSD symptoms. Whereas prior literature has focused primarily on either child or adult studies, the present review incorporates both child and adult studies in a developmental approach to understanding risk for PTSD and how pharmacological modulation of acute memories may buffer the development of PTSD symptoms.
KW - Cortisol
KW - Developmental
KW - Hydrocortisone
KW - Posttraumatic stress disorder
KW - Propranolol
KW - Trauma memories
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901933929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84901933929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.02.001
DO - 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.02.001
M3 - Review article
C2 - 24513176
AN - SCOPUS:84901933929
SN - 1074-7427
VL - 112
SP - 122
EP - 129
JO - Communications in behavioral biology. Part A: [Original articles]
JF - Communications in behavioral biology. Part A: [Original articles]
ER -