Zobair Samimi; Toran Shahdost
Abstract
Objectives Cognitive control problems and deficiencies highlight the need for new therapeutic methods in adolescents with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The current study aimed at investigating the effect of emotional working memory training on the cognitive control of adolescents with PTSD. ...
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Objectives Cognitive control problems and deficiencies highlight the need for new therapeutic methods in adolescents with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The current study aimed at investigating the effect of emotional working memory training on the cognitive control of adolescents with PTSD. Methods Available sampling method was employed to select 5 adolescents (2 males and 3 females) with PTSD diagnosed based on the structured clinical interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM) (SCID-I), and the impact of event scale from 1 of the child care centers in Karaj, Iran. Selected subjects were under a 20-session training for emotional dual n-back working memory. All subjects were assessed during 3 stages pre-training, in training, and follow-up by go/no-go task. Variance analysis (repeated measures) and Bonferroni test were used to analyze the data.Results Results of the repeated measure ANOVA indicated that the emotional working memory training results showed increase in the ability of participants in cognitive control, the reaction time of correct response in go/no-go task from pretest (M=402) to post test (M=121/60), and then, the follow-up (113/80) (P<0.001, F=359/60).Conclusion Based on the results of the current study, emotional working memory training was an appropriate method to increase cognitive control in adolescents with PTSD. Therefore, it is suggested to conduct further similar studies by this training method on other clinical groups with larger sample size.
Forough Afshar; Kataneh Abrari; Iran Goudarzi
Volume 23, Issue 4 , September and October 2016, , Pages 550-559
Abstract
Objectives Posttraumatic stress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder caused by exposure to traumatic events. Traumatic memory impairment is one of the clinical signs of this disorder. Cannabis sativa is full of cannabinoid compounds that are effective on memory extinction. We evaluated the combined ...
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Objectives Posttraumatic stress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder caused by exposure to traumatic events. Traumatic memory impairment is one of the clinical signs of this disorder. Cannabis sativa is full of cannabinoid compounds that are effective on memory extinction. We evaluated the combined effects of Cannabis leave extract and exposure therapy on memory extinction in this disease. Methods Modified single prolonged stress model was used to induce PTSD. A week later, rats were placed in a shock chamber and received a shock. After 24 hours, for the first time exposure, rats were returned to the chamber for 9 minutes, without receiving any footstock. Two other exposures were performed with one day interval. Cannabis leave extract (at three different doses) was injected 30 minutes before exposures. 14 days later, for fear memory evaluation, again rats were placed in the chamber. In order to evaluate the participation of cannabinoid system in the effects of cannabis, second experiment was accomplished. Effective dose of cannabis extract and cannabinoid receptor antagonist (Rimonabant) were simultaneously injected, as in the first experiment.Results Results of the first experiment showed that 25 mg/kg cannabis leave extract significantly decreased the percent of freezing as compared to control group. In the second experiment, percent of freezing in rats treated with extract and antagonist increased as compared to related control group. Conclusion Simultaneous treatment with exposure therapy and cannabis leave extract, with 25 mg/kg dosage, intensely led to condition memory extinction. Maybe this kind of treatment enhanced and consolidated the memory extinction by affecting cannabinoid system through CB1 receptor.