Posttraumatic Stress Disorders in Police, Correctional Service Officers, and 911 Operators
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Police officers, correctional service officers, and 911-operators are at increased risk for
suffering from trauma-related disorders due to their direct and indirect exposure to
life-threatening events, such as shootings, violent assaults, or car accidents, among others.
Typical treatments for post-traumatic stress disorders include psychotherapy and
pharmacological therapies (i.e., antidepressants). Although these interventions are effective
for many sufferers, they all have limitations. Thus, the investigators propose to explore the
usefulness of a new therapeutic technique, reconsolidation blockade, which involves
reactivating the trauma memory while under the influence of propranolol. Objectives and
hypotheses: To explore the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of reconsolidation blockade
therapy as an adjunct treatment for trauma- and stressor-related disorders as defined in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Mental Disorders-5. The investigators hypothesize that,
compared to the control group, 5 weekly trauma-memory reactivations under propranolol
treatment will confer a significant reduction in trauma-related symptoms and significantly
more health-related economic benefits. Stress symptoms and health-related costs will be
assessed at 7, 26 and 52 weeks after study inclusion. In this study, the investigators will
also explore the effects of reconsolidation blockade with propranolol on various
neuropsychological functions.
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Douglas Mental Health University Institute
Collaborator:
Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail