Dopamine Enhancement of Fear Extinction Learning in PTSD (1R21MH108753)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-05-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate a new use for a medication called levodopa
(L-DOPA). L-DOPA has been approved for use in Parkinson 's disease, but not for Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). L-DOPA is thought to enhance certain cognitive abilities that the
investigators believe may be affected among women with PTSD. It is hypothesized that L-DOPA
may enhance fear extinction learning to a conditioned fear stimulus. If this is true, L-DOPA
may improve outcomes for those undergoing certain types of therapy for PTSD, though that aim
is beyond the scope of this project. Additionally, the investigators are testing whether an
individual's genetic profile affects how well L-DOPA works to enhance cognitive abilities.
Phase:
Phase 4
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Arkansas University of Wisconsin, Madison