Treatment Approaches for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Derived From Basic Research on Fear Extinction.
Biological psychiatry February 15, 2025 Jessica L Maples-Keller, Laura Watkins, Natalie Hellman et al. 12 citations
Treatment approaches for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on fear conditioning and extinction models are reviewed. Fear extinction provides a translational model linking basic research in nonhuman animals to human treatments such as prolonged exposure therapy. Cognitive aspects of extinction, including consolidation and reconsolidation, are discussed along with behavioral and pharmacological strategies for preventing and treating chronic PTSD. Augmentation strategies reviewed include disrupting noradrenergic processes, NMDA receptor medications, physical exercise, cannabinoids, estradiol, dexamethasone, yohimbine, losartan, dopamine, and MDMA, with evidence for their efficacy in human samples. Limitations and future directions are also addressed.