Low-Dose Cortisol for Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry Vol. 161; no. 8; pp. 1488 - 1490
• Main Authors: Aerni, Amanda, Traber, Rafael, Hock, Christoph, Roozendaal, Benno, Schelling, Gustav, Papassotiropoulos, Andreas, Nitsch, Roger M., Schnyder, Ulrich, de Quervain, Dominique J.-F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychiatric Publishing 01.08.2004; American Psychiatric Association
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trials; Cognitive inhibition; Cortisol; Cortisone; Cross-Over Studies; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Health Status; Humans; Hydrocortisone - administration & dosage; Hydrocortisone - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Memory functioning; Middle Aged; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pilot Projects; Pilot studies; Placebos; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - drug therapy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Treatment; Treatment Outcome; Human; Posttraumatic syndrome; Steroid hormone; Psychotropic; Low dose; Treatment efficiency; Anxiety disorder; Hydrocortisone; Glucocorticoid; Stress; Dose activity relation; Case study; Symptomatology; Chronic; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Tranquillizer; Follow up study; Adrenal hormone; Adult; Evolution; Severity score; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0002-953X; 1535-7228
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.8.1488

OBJECTIVE: Because elevated cortisol levels inhibit memory retrieval in healthy human subjects, the present study investigated whether cortisol administration might also reduce excessive retrieval of traumatic memories and related symptoms in patients with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD: During a 3-month observation period, low-dose cortisol (10 mg day) was administered orally for 1 month to three patients with chronic PTSD in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. RESULTS: In each patient investigated, there was a significant treatment effect, with cortisol-related reductions of at least 38% in one of the daily rated symptoms of traumatic memories, as assessed by self-administered rating scales. In accordance, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale ratings assessed after each month showed cortisol-related improvements for reexperiencing symptoms and, additionally, in one patient for avoidance symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this pilot study indicate that low-dose cortisol treatment reduces the cardinal symptoms of PTSD.