D-cycloserine enhancement of fear extinction is specific to successful exposure sessions: evidence from the treatment of height phobia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Whereas some studies have shown clear evidence for an augmentation effect of D-cycloserine (DCS) on exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, other studies have shown weak effects or no effect at all. Some preclinical data suggest that the DCS augmentation effect is moderated by the success of extinction learning. Therefore, we conducted a reanalysis of existing data to examine whether the effects of DCS on clinical outcome would vary as a function of response to the exposure session (i.e., exposure success).

Methods

In a clinical trial, patients with height phobia received two sessions involving 30 minutes of virtual reality exposure therapy and were randomly assigned to a pill placebo (n = 14) or 50 mg of DCS (n = 15) immediately after each session.

Results

SUBMITTER: Smits JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3636175 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature