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Women with PTSD have a changed sensitivity to GABA-A receptor active substances

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An Erratum to this article was published on 25 November 2014

Abstract

Rationale

The use of benzodiazepines in treating anxiety symptoms in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been debated. Studies on other anxiety disorders have indicated changed sensitivity to GABA-A receptor active substances.

Objective

In the present study, we investigated the GABA receptor sensitivity in PTSD patients.

Methods

Injections of allopreganolone, diazepam, and flumazenil were carried out, each on separate occasions, in 10 drug naïve patients with PTSD compared to 10 healthy controls. Effects were measured in saccadic eye velocity (SEV) and in subjective ratings of sedation.

Results

The PTSD patients were less sensitive to allopregnanolone compared with healthy controls. This was seen as a significant difference in SEV between the groups (p = 0.047). Further, the patients were less sensitive to diazepam, with a significant less increase in sedation compared to controls (p = 0.027). After flumazenil injection, both patients and controls had a significant agonistic effect on SEV, leading to decreased SEV after injection. The patients also responded with an increase in sedation after flumazenil injection, while this was not seen in the controls.

Conclusions

Patients with PTSD have a changed sensitivity to GABA-A receptor active substances. As a consequence of this, benzodiazepines and other GABA-A receptor active compounds such as sleeping pills will be less useful for this group of patients.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by grants from the Swedish Research Council (project number 90418601), the ALF Medel from Stockholms Läns Landsting, the Spearhead Grant, and the ALF Medel from Västerbottens Läns Landsting. The authors thank Elisabeth Zingmark for the allopregnanolone assays and research nurse Monika Strandberg for conducting the challenges.

Conflict of interest

Authors A. Tiihonen Möller, S. Nyberg, H.P. Söndergaard, and L. Helström have no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest. T. Bäckström has equity interests in Umecrine A.B..

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden

    Anna Tiihonen Möller, Hans Peter Söndergaard & Lotti Helström

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stockholm South Hospital, SE-118 83, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anna Tiihonen Möller & Lotti Helström

  3. Department of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Torbjörn Bäckström & Sigrid Nyberg

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  1. Anna Tiihonen Möller
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  2. Torbjörn Bäckström
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  3. Sigrid Nyberg
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  4. Hans Peter Söndergaard
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  5. Lotti Helström
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Correspondence to Anna Tiihonen Möller.

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Möller, A.T., Bäckström, T., Nyberg, S. et al. Women with PTSD have a changed sensitivity to GABA-A receptor active substances. Psychopharmacology 233, 2025–2033 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-014-3776-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-014-3776-y

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