Effects of dexamethasone on declarative memory function in posttraumatic stress disorder

Psychiatry Res. 2004 Nov 30;129(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2004.08.004.

Abstract

Alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hippocampal-based memory have been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the administration of exogenous glucocorticoids has been shown to result in a transient verbal declarative memory impairment in healthy human subjects. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone on verbal declarative memory function in patients with PTSD. Forty-two men and women with (n=14) and without (n=28) PTSD received placebo or dexamethasone (1 and 2 mg on two successive days) in a double-blind, randomized fashion. Declarative memory was assessed with paragraph recall at baseline (day 1) and day 3. There was a significant interaction between diagnosis and drug (dexamethasone vs. placebo) on paragraph recall related to a relative detrimental effect of dexamethasone on memory function in healthy subjects, but not those with PTSD. These findings are consistent with an altered sensitivity of declarative memory function in PTSD to regulation by glucocorticoids, possibly explainable by alterations in glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampus or other brain regions mediating declarative memory.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / adverse effects*
  • Dexamethasone / administration & dosage
  • Dexamethasone / adverse effects*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis
  • Memory Disorders / epidemiology
  • Mental Recall / drug effects
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / physiopathology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Dexamethasone