Personalized Study of Lorazepams Effects on GABA Brain Activity in Veterans with PTSD

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD to better identify subgroups who may respond differently to medications. This research focuses on a subgroup with high anxious arousal who might benefit from drugs that enhance GABA neurotransmitter signaling. The study aims to validate a clinical test combining computational methods and neuroimaging to detect this subgroup and assess the effects of lorazepam, a GABA modulator, to improve future targeted treatments. Participants will take part in a randomized crossover study where each receives a single dose of lorazepam 1 mg and a placebo in two separate sessions, with a 1-week washout period between. During each session, they perform a computational goal-directed control task called the rapid assessment of motor processing RAMP to measure dynamic inhibition. Functional MRI scans will also be used to study brain activity related to GABAergic modulation. Throughout the study, participants will be assessed for changes in dynamic inhibition and neural activity 1.5 hours after dosing, along with changes in fear scores from a standardized questionnaire. The research includes healthy controls and Veterans with different PTSD profiles. The studys total duration includes two testing sessions spaced by a week, with detailed monitoring to understand how lorazepam affects brain function and behavior in these groups.

Computational Assessment of GABA Receptor Modulation in PTSD