
A Study of Sertraline to Prevent PTSD
Posttraumatic Stress DisorderDepressionThe broad, long-term objectives of this proposal are to prevent the emergence of posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms in children admitted for an acute burn, reconstructive surgery, or non-burn injury. This study is investigating the early use of a medication in the prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Specific Aims 1 and 2: To assess the efficacy of sertraline to prevent the development of (Aim 1)posttraumatic stress disorder and (Aim 2)depression in children aged 6-20, after burn or non-burn injury or after reconstructive surgery. Hypotheses 1 and 2: Administration of sertraline after an acute burn or non-burn injury, or after reconstructive surgery will lead to greater reduction in post-traumatic and depressive symptoms over 12 and 24 weeks, compared with placebo. This study is completing the evaluation of 90 children and adolescents, aged 6-20 years. It is comparing 60 subjects receiving sertraline with 30 placebo control subjects matched for age, severity of injury, and type of hospitalization (acute vs. reconstructive). Children and families are evaluated for the presence of acute stress symptoms. Children are reassessed in a double-blind placebo-controlled design, with evaluations at Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 24. In addition, there is weekly monitoring for the first 14 weeks of the study and again at 18 weeks (the midpoint of the study). At each reassessment, information is collected on the child's compliance with the study medication, the parents' assessment of the child's functioning, and the child's self-report of posttraumatic and depressive symptomatology. The main outcome variable used in this study is the child's posttraumatic symptoms.

Risperidone in the Treatment of PTSD in Women Survivors of Domestic Abuse and Rape Trauma
Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderThis medical study is an assessment of clinical response in women with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to domestic violence or rape trauma when treated with risperidone. Response to risperidone or placebo (inactive drug) is measured by Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Treatment Outcomes PTSD Scale (TOP-8). Second, the effect of risperidone on depressive and anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Clinical Global Impression.

Prevention of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Early Treatment
Post-traumatic Stress DisorderTo prospectively evaluate the effect of early treatment (cognitive therapy (CT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and escitalopram (SSRI) in preventing the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder in recent survivors of traumatic events.

Zonisamide Outpatient Study
Post Traumatic Stress DisorderAlcohol Use DisorderThe objective of this study is to determine if, compared to placebo, zonisamide (400mg/day) is a safe and efficacious treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in Veterans with PTSD and co-occurring AUD.

Simple Cognitive Task After Trauma
Post-traumatic Stress DisordersThis research study is designed to investigate the effects of a simple cognitive task (a memory cue following by playing the computer game "Tetris") on intrusive memories ("flashbacks") and other symptoms after a traumatic event. Patients presenting to a hospital emergency department soon after a traumatic event will be randomly allocated to either the simple cognitive task intervention or control. Participants will be followed up at one week and one month, and where possible 3 and 6 months. It is predicted that participants given the simple cognitive task intervention will develop fewer intrusive memories and less severe clinical symptoms than those who are not. This will inform the potential future development of a simple technique to prevent distressing psychological symptoms after a traumatic event. Implementation aspects in a new hospital context will also be explored. Patients use their smartphone for part of the intervention in the study.

Neurofeedback Effectiveness Trial in PTSD
PTSDPost-traumatic Stress Disorder2 moreThis study is an effectiveness trial investigating neurofeedback (NFB) in adults with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions - i) NFB, or ii) wait list. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, our study will, primarily, take place online (i.e., online assessment and treatment, with option of in-person fMRI, or functional magnetic resonance imaging, scans). NFB sessions will be conducted from home, with videoconferenced supervision by research staff. After study completion, individuals in the wait list condition will be offered the same NFB treatment.

Study of Safety and Effects of MDMA-assisted Therapy for Treatment of PTSD
Posttraumatic Stress DisorderThis Phase 2, Open Label study will provide supportive data on the safety and effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy in participants with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study will be conducted at a single study site in Vancouver, BC. There will be at least 2 co-therapy pairs. The study will enroll up to 20 participants The Preparatory Period will consist of three 90-minute non-drug Preparatory Sessions. A flexible divided dose of MDMA, will be administered during the Treatment Period with manualized therapy in up to two open-label Study Drug Sessions. During the Treatment Period, each Study Drug Session is followed by three 90-minute Integrative Sessions of non-drug therapy. The Study Drug Sessions are scheduled roughly 3 to 5 weeks apart.

Stress and Emotional Memory
Stress DisordersPost-TraumaticA broad group of disorders is associated with severe stress existence in children or adolescents. The most characteristic result, and one of the most serious being the state of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whose main source consists of physical or sexual violence, and to a lesser extent, accidents public road or natural disaster, whose child was the subject or witness. PTSD is associated with a deleterious effect on cognition and including the mnemonic operation. The painful reminder of the traumatic event is one of the most disabling symptoms. However, there are many other memory disorders that experimental studies gradually update. They maintain a close link with emotional regulation that disturbed you know if PTSD. However the majority of studies on emotion and cognition and their relationship with brain activity took adult subject. Work in adolescents are few on the morphological study, on rare neurobehavioral and reduced to two studies of functional neuroimaging. Contrary to what is observed in adults, morphological studies report consistently, no reduction in hippocampal volume. There is no study in the idle state. Two studies in functional MRI, the first highlighted in PTSD patients inhibition of the activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to stimuli such as to evoke the trauma, a second reported increased activity in the prefrontal cortex Median (mPFC) in a inhibition. The objective task of our study is to evaluate the impact of psychological trauma on brain structures involved in the emotional component of the memory (amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex in particular). For this, the investigators will take in 33 adolescents, including patients with posttraumatic symptomatology and matched controls free of trauma age, several neuroimaging exams, anatomical and functional. The functional review will include some rest and another in activation during episodic memory task designed to assess the influence of self-perception on memory impairment observed in patients. The investigators will check, for each group of patients and controls, the involvement of cortical structures in relation to the regulation of emotional memory (CCA, amygdala and hippocampus). The anatomy of the hippocampus benefit specific imaging methods developed in the unit INSERM U923. Endocrine correlates of stress tests will be studied by a fully-traumatic by salivary cortisol sampling. This research will clarify the mechanisms involved in emotional and memory impairments secondary to psychological trauma, their relationship with self (judgment and self-esteem) and studying their morphological substrates. A longer-term goal is to offer help in the diagnosis and monitoring of young patients with posttraumatic symptomatology.

Efficacy Mechanism of N-acetylcysteine in Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic Stress DisorderIt has been suggested that N-acetylcysteine exerts neuroprotective effects by regulating neurotransmitters and cell signaling pathways. We hypothesize that oral N-acetylcysteine augmentation will help reduce symptoms in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder as well as improve cognitive functions. We also expect that the N-acetylcysteine augmentation will induce change in structural, functional, and neurochemical aspects of the brain. In this study, we plan to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled augmentation study with N-acetylcysteine in addition to escitalopram. We will assess the efficacy and safety of the N-acetylcysteine augmentation.

Effects of Paliperidone in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Posttraumatic Stress DisorderChronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder and treatment response to pharmacological interventions has been modest for these patients. Chronic elevated anxiety and associated psychophysiological parameters including increased heart rate and alterations in skin conductance are key symptoms of chronic PTSD. Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) or norepinephrine-serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are considered treatment of first choice for these patients, however a substantial portion of patients do not respond sufficiently (Zhang and Davidson 2007). Therefore, there is a need to establish novel and effective add-on treatment strategies for these patients. Recently, atypical neuroleptics have received considerable attention since it was shown in multiple controlled and naturalistic trials that these medications are an effective treatment option for patients with PTSD (Davis et al 2006). In chronic PTSD, the psychophysiological responses at baseline and in response to treatment have yet been inadequately studied and may provide novel insight into antidepressant and anxiolytic mechanisms of medications used in the treatment of PTSD. Therefore, in addition to evaluating the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of paliperidone, a novel atypical neuroleptic, in the treatment of PTSD, we also aim to compare neurophysiological responses at baseline with post-treatment effects in antidepressant-refractory PTSD patients. Primary Aim 1: Evaluate the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of paliperidone in patients with PTSD. Secondary Aim 2: Evaluate the effects of paliperidone on fear conditioned psychophysiological responses (including startle eyeblink, skin conductance, and cardiovascular inter-beat interval) at baseline and after 6 weeks of naturalistic treatment in chronic PTSD patients.