Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains difficult to prevent after trauma, highlighting the need for early interventions that reduce the risk of chronic symptom development. This controlled study investigated the preventive potential of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in a validated rat model of PTSD induced by predator scent stress (PSS). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 175)...
Scientific ReportsJune 14, 2026Bar Eilat Yogev, Gal Levi, Noa Efroni et al.
Alcohol consumption before trauma is a prevalent but understudied risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study investigated whether acute ethanol exposure prior to trauma modulates PTSD-like symptom development in rats, identified hippocampal mechanisms involved, and tested an early post-trauma intervention. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received ethanol (1.6 g/kg, 40% v/v,...
BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, neuropsychopharmacology has shifted from stagnation to momentum, with first-in-class mechanisms and biomarker-enabled trials spanning psychiatry and neurology. METHODS: We narratively synthesized advances from 2013 to 2026 across central nervous system (CNS) discovery and development, including pivotal trials, regulatory actions, digital/real-world evidence,...
Ketamine holds promise for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but challenges remain in delivery and sustained effects. This controlled study evaluates a novel intranasal formulation, employing AmyloLipid nanovesicles (ALN) to enhance ketamine’s therapeutic efficacy in a predator-scent stress (PSS) rat model of PTSD. A total of 130 rats underwent PSS or sham-PSS exposure,...
AbstractMDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), a synthetic ring-substituted amphetamine, combined with psychotherapy has demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. This controlled prospective study aimed to assess the bio-behavioral underpinnings of MDMA in a translational model of PTSD. Rats exposed to predator-scent stress (PSS) were...
The therapeutic value of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) in the aftermath of trauma has recently raised interest. A prospective animal model for posttraumatic stress disorder was employed to assess the behavioral effects of a single dose of Δ9-THC administered intraperitoneally following exposure to psychogenic stress. Animals were exposed to predator scent stress and treated 1h later...