Project Summary

Ann M. Rasmusson, M.D. (Young Investigator 2006) of Yale University School of Medicine, will study the role of the neuroactive steroids allopregnanlone and pregnanolone (ALLO) in the treatment of women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). ALLO have been shown in animal studies to have anxiolytic, sedative, pain-reducing, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective properties. In her study, Dr. Rasmusson will evaluate whether cerebral spinal fluid levels of ALLO predict response to cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in 10 women with PTSD and MDD and 10 women with PTSD alone. She hypothesizes that deficits in ALLO will be associated with more severe PTSD and depression symptoms and poorer outcome in response to CPT. If this hypothesis is born out, future studies will examine whether the efficacy of CPT is increased by correcting ALLO deficits in women with PTSD and MDD through the use of medications that target specific mechanisms involved in producing these deficits or via administration of synthetic ALLO substitutes.

Program Area: MULTIPLE FOCUS\Anxiety Disorders/Mood Disorders\Anxiety Disorders/Unipolar\PTSD/Unipolar

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