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Drug prevents post-traumatic stress syndrome

A new drug is successful in preventing PTSD in mice if delivered within 5 hours of the trauma.

A mouse study has revealed the brain becomes overly stimulated after a traumatic event causes an ongoing, frenzied interaction between two brain proteins long after they should have disengaged. However, the injection of newly developed drugs into the hippocampus within a five hour window calmed this process, and prevented the development of a post-traumatic fear response.

The new research shows the potential for PTSD occurs when a stressful event causes a flood of glutamate, which then interacts with a second protein (Homer1a). This protein continues to stimulate metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 [mGluR5] after the glutamate has dissipated. The new drugs bind mGluR5 and reverse its activity.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-12/nu-dpp120610.php

Reference

Tronson, N. C., Guzman, Y. F., Guedea, A. L., Huh, K. H., Gao, C., Schwarz, M. K., & Radulovic, J. (2010). Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5/Homer Interactions Underlie Stress Effects on Fear. Biological Psychiatry, 68(11), 1007-1015. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4S-51FPJ9X-9/2/951f58a15b0f6f5269091c17cc2e035e

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