How Psychedelics Modulate Multiple Memory Mechanisms in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

PTSD involves abnormalities in memory, and psychedelics may help treat it by affecting multiple memory systems. Most research has focused on fear conditioning and extinction, which are limited models. A review of 25 studies found that the acute effects of psychedelics can enhance extinction learning, which is impaired in PTSD, though they may also enhance fear conditioning. Post-acute effects may also boost extinction learning. PTSD and psychedelics both impair hippocampal-dependent episodic memory formation, but psychedelics may enhance cortical-dependent semantic learning, potentially helping integrate trauma memories and disrupt maladaptive beliefs. More research is needed on episodic memory consolidation, retrieval, and reconsolidation, and on post-acute effects across all memory phases.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder with defining abnormalities in memory, and psychedelics may be promising candidates for the treatment of PTSD given their effects on multiple memory systems. Most PTSD and psychedelic research has investigated memory with fear conditioning and extinction. While fruitful, conditioning and extinction provide a limited model of the complexity of PTSD and phenomenology of psychedelics, thereby limiting the refinement of therapies. In this review, we discuss abnormalities in fear conditioning and extinction in PTSD and review 25 studies testing psychedelics on these forms of memory. Perhaps the most reliable effect is that the acute effects of psychedelics can enhance extinction learning, which is impaired in PTSD. However, the post-acute effects may also enhance extinction learning, and the acute effects can also enhance fear conditioning. We then discuss abnormalities in episodic and semantic memory in PTSD and review current knowledge on how psychedelics impact these memory systems. Although PTSD and psychedelics acutely impair the formation of hippocampal-dependent episodic memories, psychedelics may acutely enhance cortical-dependent learning of semantic memories that could facilitate the integration of trauma memories and disrupt maladaptive beliefs. More research is needed on the acute effects of psychedelics on episodic memory consolidation, retrieval, and reconsolidation and post-acute effects of psychedelics on all phases of episodic memory. We conclude by discussing how targeting multiple memory mechanisms could improve upon the current psychedelic therapy paradigm for PTSD, thereby necessitating a greater emphasis on assessing diverse measures of memory in translational PTSD and psychedelic research.