Augmenting Exposure Therapy With an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) Agonist for Panic Disorder

Summary

This study involves cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a medication called D-cycloserine (DCS), which is thought to help reduce panic symptoms more effectively by interacting with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors, facilitating many forms of learning including the extinction of fear. Participants will be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to receive either DCS or a placebo in addition to CBT.

Timeline

Start

2004-11

Primary completion

—

Completion

2007-03

Publications

• Otto MW, Tolin DF, Simon NM, Pearlson GD, Basden S, Meunier SA, Hofmann SG, Eisenmenger K, Krystal JH, Pollack MH. Efficacy of d-cycloserine for enhancing response to cognitive-behavior therapy for panic disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Feb 15;67(4):365-70. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.07.036. Epub 2009 Oct 6.

Drugs

Indications