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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Simultaneous Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Virtual Reality Exposure
Published on: January 18, 2021
[Potential PTSD therapeutics targeting 5-HT2C receptors]
1Department of Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) efficacy in PTSD treatment is limited by the 5-HT2C receptor. Exposure therapy may worsen PTSD if environmental cues are used improperly.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Context:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments, including SSRIs and exposure therapy, show limited efficacy.
- Understanding the mechanisms behind treatment limitations is crucial for developing improved therapies.
Purpose:
- To investigate the role of the 5-HT2C receptor in SSRI efficacy for PTSD.
- To evaluate the impact of different exposure therapy methods on fear response in PTSD models.
Summary:
- Mice lacking the 5-HT2C receptor showed altered fear responses, suggesting this receptor influences SSRI effectiveness.
- Fear conditioning with combined sound and environmental stimuli revealed that fear to environmental cues persisted after exposure, unlike fear to sound.
Impact:
- Findings suggest 5-HT2C receptor modulation as a potential therapeutic strategy for enhancing SSRI treatment in PTSD.
- Results indicate that exposure therapy protocols need careful design to avoid exacerbating PTSD symptoms, particularly those linked to environmental stimuli.
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