Overview

Fluoxetine vs EMDR to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Status:
Completed

Trial end date:
2003-12-01

Target enrollment:
0

Participant gender:
All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare two treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): fluoxetine (an antidepressant) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR, a psychological treatment in which the patient is led through the memory of a traumatic experience in order to heal him/herself). There are a variety of therapies used to treat PTSD, but the effectiveness of medication alone vs an exposure treatment, such as EMDR, has not been tested. Patients will be assigned randomly (like tossing a coin) to one of three groups for 8 weeks of treatment. Group 1 will receive fluoxetine; Group 2 will receive EMDR; and Group 3 will receive inactive placebo. Patients will then stop treatment and have evaluations, including psychological tests, at the time treatment is stopped, 8 weeks later, and at 6 months. An individual may be eligible for this study if he/she: Has PTSD and is 18 to 65 years old.

Phase:

Phase 3

Accepts Healthy Volunteers?

Details

Lead Sponsor:

Boston University

Collaborator:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Treatments:

Fluoxetine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

-

Patients must have:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).