Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enhancing Exposure Therapy for PTSD Using d-Cycloserine

  • Chapter
Future Directions in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

There are several effective treatment approaches for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and a multitude of augmentation strategies which seek to combine different medications and therapy to enhance treatment efficacy. There are some data to support pharmacotherapy as an effective form of treatment for PTSD (Stein, Ipser, & Seedat, Cochrane Database Syst Rev 25:CD002795, 2006). However, exposure therapy (ET) is the only treatment with sufficient empirical evidence to be recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: An assessment of the evidence. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2008). Still, due to the avoidant nature of PTSD, ET does not work for everyone. This chapter investigates different augmentation strategies which include adding an antipsychotic medication to the ongoing SSRI pharmacotherapy, adding an SSRI to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and finally, adding a medication called d-Cycloserine (DCS) acutely during ET. DCS has been shown to enhance the extinction of fear in rodents (Walker, Ressler, Lu, & Davis, The Journal of Neuroscience, 22(6), 2343–2351, 2002) as well as during ET for humans for a number of anxiety disorders (Ressler et al., Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(11), 1136–1144, 2004; Otto et al., Biological Psychiatry, 67(4), 365–370, 2010). Its effect on PTSD, however, is largely unknown. Along with reviewing the literature on DCS, this chapter introduces a number of studies currently underway investigating the effect of DCS on ET for PTSD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Blake, D. D., Weathers, F. W., Nagy, L. M., Kaloupek, D. G., Gusman, F. D., Charney, D. S., et al. (1995). The development of a clinician-administered PTSD scale. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8(1), 75–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bouton, M. E., Kenney, F. A., & Rosengard, C. (1990). State-dependent fear extinction with two benzodiazepine tranquilizers. Behavioral Neuroscience, 104(1), 44–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brady, K., Pearlstein, T., Asnis, G. M., Baker, D., Rothbaum, B., Sikes, C. R., et al. (2000). Efficacy and safety of sertraline treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 283(14), 1837–1844.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, A., Orr, S. P., Tremblay, J., Robertson, K., Nader, K., & Pitman, R. K. (2008). Effect of post-retrieval propranolol on psychophysiologic responding during subsequent script-driven traumatic imagery in post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 42, 503–506.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cahill, L., Prins, B., Weber, M., & McGaugh, J. L. (1994). β-Adrenergic activation and memory for emotional events. Nature, 371(6499), 702–704.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chasson, G. S., Buhlmann, U., Tolin, D. F., Rao, S. R., Reese, H. E., Rowley, T., et al. (2010). Need for speed: Evaluating slopes of OCD recovery in behavior therapy enhanced with d-cycloserine. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(7).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J., Carty, J., & Creamer, M. (2005). Pharmacotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: Empirical review and clinical recommendations. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 39(8), 674–682.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cukor, J., Spitalnick, J., Difede, J., Rizzo, A., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2009). Emerging treatments for PTSD. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(8), 715–726.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. (1992). Drug therapy of post-traumatic stress disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 309–314.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, J. T., Rothbaum, B. O., van der Kolk, B. A., Sikes, C. R., & Farfel, G. M. (2001). Multicenter, double-blind comparison of sertraline and placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 58(5), 485–492.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Kleine, R. A., Hendriks, G., Kusters, W. C., Broekman, T. G., & van Mennen, A. (2012). A randomized placebo-controlled trial of d-cycloserine to enhance exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 71(11), 962–968.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Difede, J., Cukor, J., Jayasinghe, N., Patt, I., Jedel, S., Spielman, L., et al. (2007). Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder following September 11, 2001. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68(11), 1639–1647.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Difede, J., Cukor, J., Patt, I., Giosan, C., & Hoffman, H. (2006). The application of virtual reality to the treatment of PTSD following the WTC attack. In R. Yehuda & R. Yehuda (Eds.), Psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorders: A decade of progress (Vol. 1071, pp. 500–501). Malden: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Difede, J., Cukor, J., Wyka, K., Olden, M., Hoffman, H., Lee, F. S., et al. (2013). d-cycloserine augmentation of exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot randomized clinical trial. Neuropsychopharmacology, 39(5), 1052–1058.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Franklin, M. E., & Moser, J. (2002). Context in the clinic: How well do cognitive-behavioral therapies and medications work in combination? Biological Psychiatry, 52(10), 989–997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Hembree, E. A., & Rothbaum, B. (2007). Prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD: Emotional processing of traumatic experiences: Therapist guide. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E., Keane, T., Friedman, M., & Cohen, J. (2009). Effective treatments forPTSD: Practice guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Riggs, D. S., Dancu, C. V., & Rothbaum, B. O. (1993). Reliability and validity of a brief instrument for assessing post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 6, 459–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Rothbaum, B. O., & Furr, J. M. (2003). Is the efficacy of exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder augmented with the addition of other cognitive behavior therapy procedures? Psychiatric Annals, 33(1), 47–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Steketee, G., & Rothbaum, B. O. (1989). Behavioral/cognitive conceptualizations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Behavior Therapy, 20(2), 155–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gelpin, E., Bonne, O., Peri, T., & Brandes, D. (1996). Treatment of recent trauma survivors with benzodiazepines: A prospective study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 57(9), 390–394.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerardi, M., Ressler, K., & Rothbaum, B. (2010). Combined treatment of anxiety disorders. In D. J. Stein, E. Hollander, B. O. Rothbaum, D. J. Stein, E. Hollander, & B. O. Rothbaum (Eds.), Textbook of anxiety disorders (2nd ed., pp. 147–156). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guastella, A. J., Richardson, R., Lovibond, P. F., Rapee, R. M., Gaston, J. E., Mitchell, P., et al. (2008). A randomized controlled trial of d-cycloserine enhancement of exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 63(6), 544–549.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guay, S., Marchand, A., & Landry, P. (2010). Results from a 6-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy combined with d-Cycloserine for treating PTSD. Presented at the international society for traumatic stress studies 26th annual meeting, Montreal, Canada, November 4–6, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamner, M. B., Deitsch, S. E., Brodrick, P. S., Ulmer, H. G., & Lorberbaum, J. P. (2003). Quetiapine treatment in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: An open trial of adjunctive therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 23(1), 15–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamner, M. B., Faldowski, R. A., Ulmer, H. G., Frueh, B. C., Huber, M. G., & Arana, G. W. (2003). Adjunctive risperidone treatment in post-traumatic stress disorder: A preliminary controlled trial of effects on comorbid psychotic symptoms. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 18(1), 1–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamner, M. B., & Robert, S. (2005). Emerging roles for atypical antipsychotics in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Neurotherapeutics, 5(2), 267–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henn-Haase, C., Best, S., Metzler, T. J., Gardner, J., Herbst, E., McCaslin, S., et al. (2010). Exposure based CBT therapy and d-cycloserine treatment for PTSD in veterans and civilians. Presented at the international society for traumatic stress studies 26th annual meeting, Montreal, Canada, November 4–6, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heresco-Levy, U., Kremer, I., Javitt, D. C., Goichman, R., Reshef, A., Blanaru, M., et al. (2002). Pilot-controlled trial of d-cycloserine for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 5, 301–307.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hodges, L. F., Anderson, P., Burdea, G. C., Hoffman, H. G., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2001). Treating psychological and physical disorders with VR. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 21(6), 25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, S. G., Meuret, A. E., Smits, J. J., Simon, N. M., Pollack, M. H., Eisenmenger, K., et al. (2006). Augmentation of exposure therapy with D-cycloserine for social anxiety disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63(3), 298–304.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoge, E. A., Worthington, J. J., Nagurney, J. T., Chang, Y., Kay, E. B., Feterowski, C. M., et al. (2011). Effect of acute posttrauma propranolol on PTSD outcome and physiological responses during script driven imagery. CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, 17(3), 1755–5949.

    Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine. (2008). Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: An assessment of the evidence. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaycox, L. H., Foa, E. B., & Morral, A. R. (1998). Influence of emotional engagement and habituation on exposure therapy for PTSD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 185–192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Josman, N., Somer, E., Reisberg, A., Weiss, P., Garcia-Palacios, A., & Hoffman, H. (2006). BusWorld: Designing a virtual environment for post-traumatic stress disorder in Israel: A protocol. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 9(2), 241–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C. (2000). Posttraumatic stress disorder: The burden to the individual and to society. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 61(Suppl 5), 4–12. discussion 13–14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kosten, T. R., Frank, J. B., Dan, E., McDougle, C. J., & Giller, E. L. (1991). Pharmacotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder using phenelzine or imipramine. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179(6), 366–370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kozarić-Kovačić, D., Pivac, N., Mück-Šeler, D., & Rothbaum, B. (2005). Risperidone in psychotic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: An open trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66(7), 922–927.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuriyama, K., Honma, M., Koyama, S., & Kim, Y. (2011). d-cycloserine facilitates procedural learning but not declarative learning in healthy humans: A randomized controlled trial of the effect of d-cycloserine and valproic acid on overnight properties in the performance of non-emotional memory tasks. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 95, 505–509.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kushner, M. G., Kim, S., Donahue, C., Thuras, P., Adson, D., Kotlyar, M., et al. (2007). d-cycloserine augmented exposure therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 62(8), 835–838.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ledgerwood, L., Richardson, R., & Cranney, J. (2003). Effects of d-cycloserine on extinction of conditioned freezing. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117(2), 341–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liebowitz, M. R. (1987). Social phobia. Modern Problems in Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litz, B. T., Salters-Pedneault, K., Steenkamp, M. M., Hermos, J. A., Bryant, R. A., Otto, M. W., et al. (2012). A randomized placebo-controlled trial of d-cycloserine on exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46(9), 1184–1190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, R. D., Beebe, K. L., Oldham, M., & Zaninelli, R. (2001). Efficacy and safety of paroxetine treatment for chronic PTSD: A fixed-dose, placebo-controlled study. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 158(12), 1982–1988.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Monnelly, E. P., Ciraulo, D. A., Knapp, C., & Keane, T. (2003). Low-dose risperidone as adjunctive therapy for irritable aggression in posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 23(2), 193–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Monson, C. M., Schnurr, P. P., Resick, P. A., Friedman, M. J., Young-Xu, Y., & Stevens, S. P. (2006). Cognitive processing therapy for veterans with military-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(5), 898–907.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otto, M. W., Tolin, D. F., Simon, N. M., Pearlson, G. D., Basden, S., Meunier, S. A., et al. (2010). Efficacy of d-cycloserine for enhancing response to cognitive-behavior therapy for panic disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 67(4), 365–370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pitman, R. K., Sanders, K. M., Zusman, R. M., Healy, A. R., Cheema, F., Lasko, N. B., et al. (2002). Pilot study of secondary prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder with propranolol. Biological Psychiatry, 51(2), 189–192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pivac, N., Kozaric-Kovacic, D., & Muck-Seler, D. (2004). Olanzapine versus fluphenazine in an open trial in patients with psychotic combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychopharmacology, 175(4), 451–456.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Resick, P. A., Nishith, P., Weaver, T. L., & Astin, M. C. (2002). A comparison of cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure, and a waiting condition for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in female rape victims. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 867–879.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ressler, K. J., Rothbaum, B. O., Tannenbaum, L., Anderson, P., Graap, K., Zimand, E., et al. (2004). Cognitive enhancers as adjuncts to psychotherapy: Use of d-cycloserine in phobic individuals to facilitate extinction of fear. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(11), 1136–1144.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, A., Difede, J., Rothbaum, B. O., & Reger, G. (2010). Virtual Iraq/Afghanistan: Development and early evaluation of a virtual reality exposure therapy system for combat-related PTSD. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS)., 1208, 114–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, A., Reger, G., Gahm, G., Difede, J., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2009). Virtual reality exposure therapy for combat-related PTSD. In P. J. Shiromani, T. M. Keane, J. E. LeDoux, P. J. Shiromani, T. M. Keane, & J. E. LeDoux (Eds.), Post-traumatic stress disorder: Basic science and clinical practice (pp. 375–399). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O. (2008). Critical parameters for d-cycloserine enhancement of cognitive behavioral therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 293–296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Astin, M. C., & Marsteller, F. (2005). Prolonged exposure versus eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD rape victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(6), 607–616.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Cahill, S. P., Foa, E. B., Davidson, J. R. T., Compton, J., Connor, K. M., et al. (2006). Augmentation of sertraline with prolonged exposure in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(8), 625–638.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B., & Davis, M. (2003). Applying learning principles to the treatment of post-trauma reactions. In J. A. King, C. F. Ferris, I. I. Lederhendler, J. A. King, C. F. Ferris, & I. I. Lederhendler (Eds.), Roots of mental illness in children (pp. 112–121). New York, NY: New York Academy of Sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Foa, E. B., Riggs, D., Murdock, T., & Walsh, W. (1992). A prospective examination of post-traumatic stress disorder in rape victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 5, 455–475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Hodges, L. F., Ready, D., Graap, K., & Alarcon, R. D. (2001). Virtual reality exposure therapy for Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 62(8), 617–622.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Killeen, T. K., Davidson, J. T., Brady, K. T., Connor, K. M., & Heekin, M. H. (2008). Placebo-controlled trial of risperidone augmentation for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant civilian posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69(4), 520–525.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, B. O., Price, M., Jovanovic, T., Norrholm, S. D., Gerardi, M., Dunlop, B., et al. (2014). A randomized, double-blind evaluation of d-cycloserine or alprazolam combined with virtual reality exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in iraq and afghanistan war veterans. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(6), 640–648.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schneier, F. R., Neria, Y., Pavlicova, M., Hembree, E., Jung Suh, E., Amsel, L., et al. (2012). Combined prolonged exposure therapy and paroxetine for posttraumatic stress disorder related to the world trade center attacks: A randomized controlled trial. Presented at the international society for traumatic stress studies 26th annual meeting, Montreal, Canada, November 4–6, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, F. (1995). Eye movement desentization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shestatzky, M., Greenberg, D., & Lerer, B. (1988). A controlled trial of phenelzine in posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Research, 24(2), 149–155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siegmund, A., Golfels, F., Finck, C., Halisch, A., Räth, D., Plag, J., et al. (2011). d-cycloserine does not improve but might slightly speed up the outcome of in-vivo exposure therapy in patients with severe agoraphobia and panic disorder in a randomized double blind clinical trial. Journal of Psychiatric Research. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires. 2011.01.020.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, N. M., Connor, K. M., Lang, A. J., Rauch, S., Krulewicz, S., LeBeau, R. T., et al. (2008). Paroxetine CR augmentation for posttraumatic stress disorder refractory to prolonged exposure therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69(3), 400–405.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, D. J., Ipser, J., & Seedat, S. (2006). Pharmacotherapy for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 25, CD002795.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. B., Kline, N. A., & Matloff, J. L. (2002). Adjunctive olanzapine for SSRI-resistant combat-related PTSD: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(10), 1777–1779.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Storch, E. A., Merlo, L. J., Bengtson, M., Murphy, T. K., Lewis, M. H., Yang, M. C., et al. (2007). d-cycloserine does not enhance exposure-response prevention therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 22(4), 230–237.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, P., Smith, K. L., Marx, B., Jones, D., Miranda, R., & Lensgraf, J. (2000). Fluvoxamine reduces physiologic reactivity to trauma scripts in posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 20(3), 367–372.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, S. M., Beidel, D. C., Dancu, C. V., & Stanley, M. A. (1989). An empirically derived inventory to measure social fears and anxiety: The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1(1), 35–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaiva, G., Ducrocq, F., Jezequel, K., Averland, B., Lestavel, P., Brunet, A., et al. (2003). Immediate treatment with propranolol decreases posttraumatic stress disorder two months after trauma. Biological Psychiatry, 54, 947–949.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Etten, M., & Taylor, S. (1998). Comparative efficacy of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 5, 126–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. L., Ressler, K. J., Lu, K., & Davis, M. (2002). Facilitation of conditioned fear extinction by systemic administration or intra-amygdala infusions of d-cycloserine as assessed with fear-potentiated startle in rats. The Journal of Neuroscience, 22(6), 2343–2351.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelm, S., Buhlmann, U., Tolin, D. F., Meunier, S. A., Pearlson, G. D., Reese, H. E., et al. (2008). Augmentation of behavior therapy with d-cycloserine for obsessive-compulsive disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(3), 335–341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, A. M., & Bouton, M. E. (2006). d-cycloserine facilitates extinction but does not eliminate renewal of the conditioned emotional response. Behavioral Neuroscience, 120(5), 1159–1162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, S., Morinobu, S., Fuchikami, M., Kurata, A., Kozuru, T., & Yamawaki, S. (2008). Effects of single prolonged stress and d-cycloserine on contextual fear extinction and hippocampal NMDA receptor expression in a rat model of PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology, 33, 2108–2116.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, S., Morinobu, S., Iwamoto, Y., Ueda, Y., Takei, S., Fujita, Y., et al. (2010). Alterations in the hippocampal glycinergic system in an animal model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Psychiatry and Research, 44, 1069–1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Y. L., & Lu, K. T. (2005). Facilitation of conditioned fear extinction by d-cycloserine is mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase cascades and requires de novo protein synthesis in basolateral nucleus of amygdala. Neuroscience, 134(1), 247–260.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Disclosure Statement

Dr. Rothbaum and Emory University own equity in Virtually Better, Inc., which is developing products related to the virtual reality research described in this chapter, and Dr. Rothbaum is a consultant for Virtually Better, Inc. The terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by Emory University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory University School of Medicine, 1256 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA, 30306, USA

    Mark S. Burton, Cole G. Youngner, Alexander J. McCarthy & Barbara Olasov Rothbaum Ph.D., ABPP

  2. Virtually Better, Inc., Decatur, GA, USA

    Alex O. Rothbaum

Authors
  1. Mark S. Burton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cole G. Youngner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexander J. McCarthy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alex O. Rothbaum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Barbara Olasov Rothbaum Ph.D., ABPP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara Olasov Rothbaum Ph.D., ABPP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Marilyn P. Safir

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Helene S. Wallach

  3. Department of Psychiatry and School of Gerontology, University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Albert "Skip" Rizzo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Burton, M.S., Youngner, C.G., McCarthy, A.J., Rothbaum, A.O., Rothbaum, B.O. (2015). Enhancing Exposure Therapy for PTSD Using d-Cycloserine. In: Safir, M., Wallach, H., Rizzo, A. (eds) Future Directions in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7522-5_18

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation