Investigating the effect of adding memantine to current therapies on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Investigating the effect of adding memantine to current therapies on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

A randomized double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial is performed on 30 patients. Random blocking will be used for randomization.

In this study, patients referred to the psychiatric clinic of Khorshid Hospital in Isfahan are selected as double random blocks. Clinical interviews are performed by a psychiatrist before treatment, 8 weeks later, and 16 weeks later. The CAPS questionnaire is assessed before treatment, 8 weeks later, and 16 weeks later. Patients are then examined in two groups together at different times.

Inclusion criteria: 1. Male and female patients with an age range of 19 to 65 years 2. A case of PTSD resulting from a battle scene that was diagnosed at least 12 months ago according to DSM criteria 5 Exclusion Criteria : 1. Patients with a history of dementia, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, traumatic brain injury, and seizures according to DSM 5 criteria 2. Patients with a history of alcohol and psychotropic drug use in a recent month or the presence of addiction in the patient's history 3. Patients in need of treatment with drugs affecting the glutamatergic system such as amantadine, dexamethasone or carbonic anhydrase inhibitors

Patients in the first group or intervention group, in addition to the current treatment, are treated with the drug memantine with a starting dose of 5 mg per day and then increase the dose of the drug by 5 mg per week to a maximum dose of 20 mg per day. The patients of the second group, in addition to the current treatment, are treated with a placebo, which is provided by a pharmaceutical company in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

In this study, patients referred to a psychiatric clinic who meet the inclusion criteria are selected as double random blocks. The epidemiologist sets up a random number table, according to which the codes are assigned by hiding the code card in the thick envelopes (Concealed allocation), one of them to the memantine group with current treatment and the other to the placebo group with current treatment. Randomly assigned. These random double blocks continue until the data collection period is complete.

To prevent bias and maintain blindness of the drugs in the intervention group and placebo, the patient prescribing the drug, the evaluator and the statistical consultant do not know the type of drug. Patients are treated up to 16 weeks after the intervention and re-examined at weeks 8 and 16. The psychiatrist who visits the patient and gives the packaged and coded drugs to the patient, the researcher who fills out the questionnaire, the researcher who enters the data into the software, and the epidemiologist who analyzes, the blind people in study.