L-DOPA and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder.

ABSTRACT: This study tested whether L-DOPA delivered during the consolidation window following fear extinction learning reduces subsequent fear responding among women with PTSD. Adult women diagnosed with PTSD completed a contextual fear acquisition and extinction task during fMRI and then immediately received either placebo (n = 34), 100/25 mg L-DOPA/carbidopa (n = 28), or 200/50 mg L-DOPA/carbidopa (n = 29). Participants completed a resting-state scan before the task and again 45 min following drug ingestion to characterize effects of L-DOPA on extinction memory neural reactivation patterns during consolidation. Twenty-four hours later, participants returned for tests of context renewal, extinction recall, and reinstatement during fMRI with concurrent skin conductance responding (SCR) assessment.

SUBMITTER: Cisler JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7429959 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature