Antibiotics Could Prevent, Cure PTSD

Antibiotics could help prevent and cure people suffering from PTSD, a new study reveals.

Antibiotics could help prevent and cure PTSD. Image credit: tasnimnews.com (CC BY 4.0)

Researchers say a common drug called doxycycline - used to treat bacterial infections - can disrupt the formation of negative thoughts and fears in the brain.

The antibiotic works by blocking certain proteins outside nerve cells, called matrix enzymes, which our brains need to form memories.

The medication could be among the first to cure the symptoms of the disorder rather than just treat them.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is caused by an overactive fear memory and includes a broad range of psychological symptoms that can develop after someone goes through a traumatic event.

In a joint-trial held by University College London, in England, and the University of Zurich, in Switzerland, 76 healthy volunteers were given either the drug or a placebo dummy pill.

The researchers found that those who were on doxycycline had a 60 percent lower fear response than those who were not.

While the fear response was 60 percent lower in those who had doxycycline in the first session, the researchers also found that other cognitive measures - such as sensory memory and attention - were not affected.

The team would next like to explore doxycycline's potential effects further, including in a phenomenon called 'reconsolidation' of fear memories. (Tasnim News Agency)

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