D-serine for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

Herzog Hospital

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Treatments: Drug: D-serine (~2g /day)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00215878

20030311

Heresco2CTIL

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to asses the effects of the NMDA receptor full agonist D-serine while used as adjuvant treatment for individuals suffering from chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dysfunction of neurotransmission mediated at NMDA receptor plays a cardinal role in the pathophysiology of PTSD and PTSD patients typically suffer from cognitive dysfunctions and avoidance& depressive symptomatology that may be mediated by NMDA receptor function deficits.

Thus, enhancement of NMDA activity by using D-serine may be beneficial in the treatment of PTSD. The study design involves two 6 week periods during which the participants will be randomly assigned to receive treatment with D-serine (~2g /dy)and placebo. This design allows each participant the opportunity to respond to the experimental treatment.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 25 to 75 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Chronic PTSD (DSM-IV diagnosis)

Exclusion criteria

• Other psychiatric diagnosis
• Substance abuse
• Unstable medical condition

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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22 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

1

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Adjuvant 6 weeks treatment with placebo (\~2g /day)

Treatment:

Drug: D-serine (~2g /day)

2

Experimental group

Description:

Adjuvant 6 weeks treatment with D-serine (\~2g /day)

Treatment:

Drug: D-serine (~2g /day)