Active clinical trials for "Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic"

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an exposure-based procedure for the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although the efficiency of EMDR-treatment is empirically proven, it remains unclear whether the bilateral stimulation triggered via eye movements has specific effects on treatment outcome. Hypothesis explaining the efficacy of the EMDR treatment are: focussing on the moving hand triggers an orientation reaction, and the duality of alertness focus during trauma exposition causes a distraction of the traumatic topic. Within a randomized controlled study 120 patients will be treated during 8 therapeutical sessions with EMDR with bilateral stimulation or one of two control conditions: EMDR without bilateral stimulation (eyes on a fixed, unmoving hand) and exposition without any visual stimuli to focus attention on. Primary outcome are scores on an interview measure for PTSD symptoms (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS))as assessed pre-treatment and after treatment (max 8 sessions of psychotherapy). The following hypothesis are investigated in the study: EMDR treatment with bilateral stimulation through eye movements will be followed significant larger reduction in CAPS compared with EMDR treatment without bilateral stimulation (specific treatment effect of eye movements) EMDR with eyes fixed will be followed by a significant larger reduction in CAPS compared with EMDR without external focus (specific treatment effect of distraction)

The objectives of the current study are to evaluate the efficacy of escitalopram in treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, to find the structural changes of brain using magnetic resonance imaging and its association with the symptoms reduction, and to look at the differences of brain imaging findings and symptoms changes according to genetic differences of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (a biological molecule facilitating neuronal growth in human).

Definition of the efficacy of NET compared with "treatment as usual" in the treatment of patients with complex traumatic disease (borderline personality disorder (BPD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) as assessed by structured clinical interviews. Furthermore, to evaluate the sleep, cortisol level and epigenetic differences in the process of the specific therapy compared to treatment as usual.

The central question in this research proposal is: can a popular technique that specifically targets active mastery and improved affect regulation, yoga, which is utilized by approximately 4% of the US population each year (1), improve the constellation of PTSD symptoms, multiple somatic complaints, social and occupational impairment and high health care utilization that has been documented in hundreds of thousands of women in the US? The Primary Aims of this study include the following: To test the short-term and long-term effectiveness of 10 weeks of yoga for treating treatment-resistant PTSD and compare it with attention controls receiving Women's Health Education (WHE). To assess the short-term and long-term effects of yoga on a) co-morbid conditions, b) quality of life, c) body awareness, d) health care utilization and e) heart rate variability (HRV), in comparison to an attention control group.

Sleep impairment is the most often reported of the 17 PTSD symptoms and is considered one of the most refractory to treatment. This study proposes the use of sleep-directed hypnotherapy to address sleep issues as a complementary element to empirically supported Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) in treating PTSD in sexual and physical assault survivors. Specifically the study aims to: 1) compare the results of sleep-directed hypnosis plus CPT with CPT only, 2) to assess the relationship between sleep and PTSD symptoms, 3) to examine relationships between sleep improvement, PTSD symptom improvement, and the therapeutic elements (hypnosis, exposure, cognitive therapy) to determine mechanisms of action in the intervention, 4) to assess the relationship between sleep and physical reactivity to trauma-related cues and to other stimuli.

There is increasing evidence that about 30% of women evaluate their childbirth as traumatic and that women could develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in response to events of birth. The mean prevalence of post-partum PTSD (PP-PTSD) was reported as 3-4% in community samples and 15.7-18.95% in high-risk samples. The primary aim is to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desesitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in treating post-traumatic and postpartum depressive symptoms in women who had a traumatic childbirth as compared to Supportive Expressive Dynamic Psychotherapy (SEDP) as therapy as usual. Secondary outcomes are: to evaluate the differences between EMDR and SEDP in preventing the onset of PTSD and Post-partum Depression after 3 months; to evaluate the effectiveness of EMDR and SEDP on anxiety and mother-child bonding; The subjects of the study will be 60 women who had a traumatic childbirth in the previous 2 days. Women with a Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) score > or = to 24 will be treated with 2-4 sessions of EMDR or with SEDP. Two follow-up assessments will be scheduled: at 6-weeks post-partum (after the end of the psychotherapeutic intervention) and at 12-weeks post-partum.

The aim of the proposed work is to gather pilot data from an attempt to enhance the ability of propranolol reactivation (PR) to improve PTSD symptoms by incorporating into the design a mismatch (PRM) between what is expected and what occurs while a subject reads a narrative of the traumatic event that caused their PTSD under the influence of the ß-adrenergic blocking drug propranolol. It is hypothesized that a series of PRM treatments will produce superior symptomatic decreases compared to what the investigators have found in prior, published studies using PR without mismatch. Under certain circumstances, retrieval (reactivation) of a traumatic memory returns it to a deconsolidated state from which it must be reconsolidated if it is to persist. Concomitant administration of the ß-adrenergic blocker weakens a deconsolidated traumatic memory and reduces PTSD symptoms, presumably through blockade of reconsolidation. It has recently been discovered that in order for deconsolidation to occur, there must be a mismatch between what is expected and what actually occurs. Altering the context in which a traumatic memory is retrieved putatively represents a deconsolidation-promoting mismatch. Experimentally increasing mismatch by manipulating context may make propranolol more effective in the treatment of PTSD. The design is a single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized PRM clinical trial by Partners researchers in 11 convenience pilot subjects between ages 18 and 65 with active PTSD, using a 10:1 propranolol:placebo randomization schedule. This two-month study will have the following components: Pre-treatment psychometric evaluation; Treatment consisting of six weekly PRM sessions with propranolol, or placebo; Post-treatment psychometric evaluation; Six-month follow-up psychometric evaluation. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and PTSD Checklist (PCL) will be administered at pre- and post-treatment and at follow-up. The Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fifth edition (DSM-5) will also be administered at the pre-treatment evaluation. The PCL will also be administered prior to each weekly treatment session. Pilot data analysis will consist of calculation of percent improvements and effect sizes in CAPS-5 and PCL-5 scores; observational comparisons with results obtained without mismatch in prior published studies; informal statistical comparisons via t-tests; and calculation of effect sizes for power analysis for a subsequent definitive study, if indicated.

The primary objective with this study is to investigate the feasibility of an internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral (CBT) intervention provided soon after trauma (within 2 months). The secondary objective is to investigate the effects of the internet-delivered CBT intervention on intrusive memories compared to no treatment.

This study seeks to examine feasibility, acceptability, safety, and preliminary efficacy of trauma-focused Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While several well-studied, validated treatments for PTSD exist, some individuals find these treatments ill-suited, ineffective, or undesirable. EAT is an alternative therapy widely used by organizations, such as PATH International Equine Services, that endorse its effectiveness for treating a variety of mental health issues. These claims have drawn criticism because the published research contains glaring methodological flaws, making it difficult to assess how effective these therapies actually are (Anestis et al., 2014). Equine-assisted therapies present a unique treatment modality that might effectively treat PTSD, particularly for individuals who have difficulty with other treatment modalities. In EAT, a psychotherapist and equine specialist work together to help the patients negotiate interactions with a horse using structured interventions or activities.

The purpose of the study is to see if "Behavioral Activation and Social Engagement for PTSD" (BASE for PTSD), an individual therapy for PTSD, will help Veterans with PTSD 1) through improved understanding of how PTSD affects them, 2) by reducing ways in which they avoid meaningful activity due to PTSD, 3) by enabling them to do more of the things they really care about, and 4) by improving, strengthening, and building up their social supports.