Efficiently diminishes symptoms: innovative anticholinergic medication suppresses PTSD nightmares and flashbacks
In a groundbreaking discovery, a group of Japanese researchers from the Sogo PTSD Institute, Medical Corporation Sogokai, have made a significant breakthrough in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The team, led by Dr. Masanobu Sogo, the head of Sogo PTSD Institute, Hiroshima City, Japan, has identified a drug called trihexyphenidyl that can significantly reduce the flashbacks and nightmares experienced by patients with PTSD.
The researchers hypothesized that PTSD is generated through an acetylcholine-memory-related-circuit centered on the Meynert basal ganglia. They found that trihexyphenidyl, a central anticholinergic drug used to manage disorders like parkinsonism and alleviate several side-effects induced by drugs acting on the central nervous system (CNS), acts by blocking the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the CNS.
The researchers administered trihexyphenidyl to 34 patients with PTSD and found that 88% reported mild to no PTSD-related nightmares, and 79% reported similar responses for PTSD-related flashbacks. These findings were published in the journal Brain and Behavior under the title "Centrally acting anticholinergic drug trihexyphenidyl is highly effective in reducing nightmares associated with post-traumatic stress disorder."
The inspiration for using trihexyphenidyl came from a patient who experienced a complete disappearance of flashbacks after being administered a drip infusion containing scopolamine butyl bromide (SB), a peripheral anticholinergic that doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The researchers believe that trihexyphenidyl's efficacy and rapid onset (1-2 days) in the treatment of PTSD-related nightmares and flashbacks make it a promising alternative for patients who do not respond to conventional psychiatric treatment.
Dr. Sogo, who primarily researches post-traumatic stress disorder and its treatment, stated that this is the first pharmacological report describing the novel use of trihexyphenidyl for PTSD-related nightmares that don't respond to conventional psychiatric treatment. The DOI of the paper is https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2147.
With this discovery, the researchers hope to provide a new hope for patients suffering from PTSD and to contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve the understanding and treatment of this debilitating condition.
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