Randomized trial of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) versus placebo to augment the effects of prolonged exposure therapy on fear extinction learning in post-traumatic stress disorder: Study rationale and protocol.
Contemporary clinical trials January 1, 2026 Christine A Rabinak, Paul E Kilgore, Mark A Lumley et al.
Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is effective for PTSD, but dropout and partial response remain problems. This trial tests whether synthetic THC (dronabinol) can improve PE outcomes. Adults with PTSD are randomly assigned to receive 7.5 mg THC or placebo before PE sessions 3 through 6, when extinction learning occurs. The study measures PTSD symptom severity, brain activation during fear extinction, and physiological responses. If THC enhances extinction learning, this FDA-approved drug could be quickly added to PE therapy to boost its effectiveness.