View clinical trials related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorders.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to examine a possible link between the time of day of exposure to a traumatic event and the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical and biological correlates will also be examined from this perspective.
Accumulating evidence suggests a key role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent studies suggest that the NMDA receptor antagonist ifenprodil tartrate may be a potential therapeutic drug for PTSD. The purpose of this study is to confirm whether ifenprodil tartrate is effective in the treatment of adolescents PTSD patients. If ifenprodil tartrate is effective in these patients, this study contributes to the development of novel therapeutic drugs for PTSD.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be associated to many psychological symptoms. One of the most relevant is the experience of distress related to the disease, that can lead to the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As far as we know there are no studies on the efficacy of psychological treatments in MS in spite of its relevance for patients' quality of life. Primary aim is to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment with Eyes Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR) in PTSD secondary to MS. EMDR is the elective treatment (together with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for PTSD according to international guidelines. The secondary aims are to evaluate the efficacy of EMDR on the PTSD-associated symptoms of anxiety and depression and Quality of Life. The study design is a randomized clinical trial. Sixty patients with MS and PTSD will be pre-screened by using the IES-R and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. The patients will be randomized in two groups (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group).The psychological assessment will be performed in both groups with the same timing and tools: at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1) and 6 months later (T2) by two trained clinical psychologists (independent and blind to treatment) with the CAPS and the administration of self reports: Trauma Antecedent Questionnaire, Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis. The experimental group will undergo 10 weekly sessions of 60 minutes each with EMDR following Shapiro's protocol for traumatic events. The efficacy will be evaluated comparing the results between T0, T1 and T2 and comparing the scores of the experimental and the control groups. Primary outcome measures will be: 1) the proportion of participants at T1 and T2 no longer meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for PTSD; 2) the reduction of CAPS scores for the four PTSD dimensions from pre-treatment to post-treatment evaluation and follow-up (avoidance, reexperiencing the traumatic event, hyperarousal and numbing). Secondary outcome measures will be: comparison of the scores of CMDI, HADS and FAMS of the two groups at T0, T1 and T2. The statistical procedure applied will be a repeated measures analysis of covariance both on the primary outcome continuous measures and on the secondary ones.
The purpose of this pilot study is to determine the effects of computer-based training in executive functioning compared to word games on cognitive and emotional aspects of combat-related PTSD.
This study looks at the biological effect of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) on women's mental health. The mechanisms through which DVA causes mental disorders are very poorly understood. Similar to other demands, DVA activates the biological stress system, of which the chief component is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which produces chemical cortisol. Cortisol levels increase in response to short-term demand and help organisms deal with it by changing the processes of getting energy from food and also mental function. However constant activation of the HPA axis can cause damage and accelerate disease. This study tests the hypothesis that compared to non-abused women all abuse victims have altered diurnal rhythm in cortisol secretion and that the pattern of this alteration is predicted by abuse characteristics, such as its type, severity, duration, and cessation. To examine the hypothesis the following research questions will be addressed: 1) whether cortisol levels are related to mental health state; 2) whether cortisol levels are related to type, severity, duration and cessation of DVA; 3) whether there is any difference in cortisol concentrations between those women exposed to both childhood abuse and DVA and those who have experienced only the latter; 4) whether cortisol levels vary between women, living in refuge and those not living in refuge? To answer these research questions 214 women will be recruited in a domestic violence agency. Baseline and 3-monthly follow-up measures will be taken over 6 months after recruitment. Women will be asked to fill in a questionnaire to evaluate their demographics, health, experience of childhood abuse and DVA. Women's weight and height will be taken. In addition participants will be asked to take three saliva samples: 1st in the evening in bed, 2nd - next morning immediately upon awakening, and the 3rd - in thirty minutes after awakening. Saliva will be collected by chewing (for 2 minutes) the cotton pledget provided with plastic tube and returned by post or via collection by the researcher. Then the saliva samples will be tested for cortisol and cortisone. Results of the study will increase our understanding of the biological mechanisms of DVA impact on a woman's health and tell researchers and practitioners about the possibility of using cortisol as an indicator to diagnose abuse-related health problems and assess effectiveness of medical care for abuse survivors.
The purpose of this study is to determine if eszopiclone relative to placebo (sugar pill) is effective and tolerable for people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related sleep disturbance. The investigators will also examine the impact of treatment on sleep patterns, memory recall bias, and level of inflammatory markers (cytokines). The investigators predict eszopiclone will lead to greater improvement than placebo in measures of PTSD symptoms, memory recall bias, and level of inflammatory markers.
In comparison to the general population, U.S. military and Veterans are at an increased risk for developing both substance use disorders (SUD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Current research has shown that there is a high comorbidity of SUD and PTSD, and although there are a number of treatments for SUD and PTSD independently, there are very few effective methods to simultaneously treat both disorders. Because of this substantial gap in the treatment of both SUDs and PTSD, it has become essential to develop a combined treatment that would address and treat both disorders. Individuals, specifically U.S. military and Veterans, with SUD/PTSD have unique needs that require a specialized treatment approach. This designed approach would employ cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat the SUD, in conjunction with Prolonged Exposure therapy to treat the PTSD. Prolonged Exposure (PE) is an empirically supported and evidence-based treatment that is currently regarded as the "gold standard" psychosocial treatment for PTSD. In combination with CBT, this treatment would address both disorders in hopes of reducing substance use and PTSD symptomatology.
The purpose of this study is to obtain a better understanding of how stress is related to health risks.
The objective of the proposed study is to conduct a systematic comparison of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outcomes for veterans receiving exposure therapy via telemedicine versus in-person care. The primary aim is to determine feasibility: whether telemedicine can be used as a tool to extend effective, specialized mental health services, such as Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE; a therapy designed to help clients face fears related to a traumatic event), to veterans with limited access to care. A secondary aim is to determine if therapy delivered by telemedicine affects the quality of care in terms of clinical outcomes and the quality of patient-therapist interaction. A tertiary aim is to examine whether results from neuropsychological testing predict treatment outcomes.
The purpose of this study is to show whether D-cycloserine in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is more effective than CBT alone to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 7-12 year old children.