Ketamine on Fear Behaviors & Brain Neuortrophic Factor in a Rat Fear Model
Abstract
Ketamine, a potent analgesic administered to wounded warfighters, may impact the development of stress related disorders such as PTSD. Trauma survivors diagnosed with PTSD are haunted by dysfunctional fear memories that fail to extinguish, which leads to intrusive symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and hyperarousal. Persistent fearful memories can last for months to decades following an event leading to increased psychological suffering and significant utilization of health care resources. Ketamine, an analgesic endorsed by the Defense Health Board for tactical combat causality care, may disrupt fear memories when given in the first few hours following injury and therefore, theoretically limit the development of PTSD. Further research is needed to discover mechanisms and doses at which ketamine impacts fear memory and fear behavior.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 18, 2018
- Source ID
- HU0001161TS16
Entities
People
- Kennett Radford
Organizations
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences