Effects of a Dissociative Drug on Fronto-Limbic Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
April 13, 2023 Sarah K. Danböck, Or Duek, Ziv Ben‐Zion et al. preprint
A subanesthetic dose of ketamine did not increase resting-state functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala in individuals with PTSD, contrary to prior correlational findings. Instead, ketamine produced a stronger transient decrease in vmPFC-amygdala connectivity compared to the control drug midazolam. These preliminary results from a randomized controlled pilot study challenge the view that dissociation involves emotion overmodulation via increased fronto-limbic connectivity, suggesting a more nuanced neurobiological understanding of dissociative phenomena in PTSD is needed.