Randomized Placebo-Controlled D-Cycloserine with Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress

Abstract

Objective:

Research on D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) agonist, has suggested that it may enhance exposure-based therapies for anxiety disorders. Results with DCS in adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been conflicting; however, no data have been reported on children with PTSD. Although many individuals with PTSD respond to exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), there are subgroups of individuals who are nonresponders, and many responders still have substantial residual symptoms. This randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled study tested DCS as an adjunct to CBT to improve and speed treatment response for PTSD in youth.

Methods:

Seven to 18 year-old youth with exposure to trauma and PTSD were offered a 12 session, manualized CBT treatment. Those who remained in treatment at the fifth session were randomly allocated (n=57) to either CBT and DCS or CBT and placebo.

Results:

Youth in the CBT and DCS group had significant reductions in symptoms, but these reductions were not greater than those in the CBT and placebo group. There was a trend toward DCS speeding PTSD symptom recovery during the exposure-based sessions, and evidence that the CBT and DCS group better maintained stability of gains on inattention ratings from posttreatment to the 3 month follow-up.

Conclusions:

This initial study of CBT and DCS to treat pediatric PTSD provided suggestive and preliminary evidence for more rapid symptom recovery and beneficial effects on attention, but did not show an overall greater effect for reducing PTSD symptoms. It appears that augmentation with DCS represents unique challenges in PTSD. Because PTSD involves complex, life-threatening trauma memories, as opposed to the imagined dreadful outcomes of other anxiety disorders, the use of DCS may require greater attention to how its use is coupled with exposure-based techniques. DCS may have inadvertently enhanced reconsolidation of trauma memories rather than more positive and adaptive memories. In addition, the results suggest that future research could focus on the longer-term benefits of DCS on attention and ways to capitalize on attention-enhancing therapies.

ClinicalTrials.gov registry:

Effect of D-cycloserine on Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Youth, #NCT01157416, http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=NCT01157416&Search=Search, and D-cycloserine Adjunctive Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adolescents, #NCT01157429, http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=NCT01157429&Search=Search.