Blood pressure drug holds promise for treating PTSD (Clonidine)

Medical Xpress / Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University / Molecular Psychiatry ^ | Jan. 5, 2022 | Shalini Saggu et al

[ConservativeMind]

There is new evidence that a 50-year-old blood pressure drug could find new purpose as a treatment to mitigate PTSD, scientists say.

Clonidine is commonly used as a high blood pressure medication and for ADHD. It's also already been studied in PTSD because clonidine works on adrenergic receptors in the brain, likely best known for their role in "fight or flight," a heightened state of response that helps keep us safe. These receptors are thought to be activated in PTSD and to have a role in consolidating a traumatic memory. Clonidine's sister drug guanfacine, which also activates these receptors, also has been studied in PTSD. Conflicting results from the clinical trials have clonidine, which has shown promise in PTSD, put aside along with guanfacine, which has not.

Scientists have laboratory evidence that while the two drugs bind to the same receptors, they do different things there, says Qin Wang, MD, Ph.D.,

They found the protein spinophilin interacts with cofilin, which is known to control protrusions on the synapses of neurons called dendritic spines, where memories are consolidated and stored.

The scientists found clonidine interferes with cofilin's exit by encouraging it to interact with the receptor which consequently interferes with the dendritic spine's ability to resume a mushroom shape and retain the memory. Guanfacine had no effect on this key player cofilin.

In their studies that mimicked how PTSD happens, mice were given a mild shock then treated with clonidine right after they were returned to the place where they received the shock and should be recalling what happened earlier. Clonidine-treated mice had a significantly reduced response, like freezing in their tracks, compared to untreated mice when brought back to the scene. In fact, their response was more like mice who were never shocked. Guanfacine had no effect on freezing behavior.

[ConservativeMind]

Clonidine is very inexpensive and easily available, but getting it administered quickly and safely after a traumatic event would seem problematic.

[ConservativeMind]

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[V_TWIN]

Yeah but I’ve had people tell me they hated that drug due to the side effects.......my dad being one.

I know side effects are different for everyone but I hope that can be addressed.

[Bobibutu]

Yeah. And shutting down receptors long term?
Ah the VA Docs will love it along with their Pharma stock holdings.

[BipolarBob]

If it’s helpful and cheap, it’s going to be problematic. Never let a good crisis go to waste.

[PeachyKeen]

Side effects were horrendous for me. I took it about 30 years ago very briefly.

[ThunderStruck94]

I currently take it to mitigate my use of ambien for sleep. Makes you very sleepy. Side effect for me was to be very groggy the next morning though that went away after about two weeks. I do not take it every night though.

[PeachyKeen]

Yes, extremely sleepy. Couldn’t take it and get up to go to work and function.

[maddog55]

I’m not sure this would be a long term fix by any means. PTSD is something people need to figure out how to handle and deal with in the long term. Drugging folks long term is not the answer. It may be a short term solution but somewhere the individual needs to work through the problems.

[packagingguy]

It will make you really sleepy if you’re not used to it. Then after a while the side effects go away when your body gets used to it.

[mass55th]

I take one Clonidine HCL pill (0.2 mg) for my blood pressure every night. One of the side effects is dry mouth. Sometimes I wake up with my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth like it’s velcroed. My doctor wanted me to take two each night. I tried it, but the dry mouth was even worse, so I went back to one, and told my doctor.

[ConservativeMind]

I believe it only had to be administered immediately after the PTSD event, and not as any ongoing treatment.

[ransomnote]

I worry about the use of a medication used to calm anger/aggression in children, treat anxiety and with a side effect of sedation being distributed to the public as a blood pressure medication. Here's an example of a study on adolescents.

Clonidine as a Treatment of Behavioural Disturbances in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

I feel like the gov often just wants to sedate us. Aren't there enough blood pressure meds out there already?

I read recently that SSRIs' used for depression actually had no significant impact on that illness. Yet so many Americans are on Antidepressants.

Clonidine cannot be taken with antidepressents, so this looks like a strategy to net as many of the remaining 64% of the population not on them with 'calming' agents like Clonidine.

[mdmathis6]

It is well known to help mitigate withdrawal symptoms for etoh and narcotics addicts. A good BP drug.

[chajin]

The late Mrs Chajin found clonidine helpful in controlling MS episodes, and very inexpensive compared to the name drugs. The one problem was always having to convince the pharm tech that she wasn’t asking for Klonipin.

[rexthecat]

Clonidine is not prescribed often these days due to its negative side effects. There are several newer drugs for high blood pressure that are more effective with fewer side effects.

[tired&retired]

“known to control protrusions on the synapses of neurons called dendritic spines, where memories are consolidated and stored.”

That is total bullcrap.

I personally asked Eric Kandel of Columbia University, who received the Nobel Prize for his research on the biochemistry of memory storage, where the memories are stored. He said that they can speculate, but have zero proof.

I asked Joe LeDoux at NYU the same question and received a similar response.

Memories are not stored in the human brain any more than the music you hear from a radio is stored in the radio!

I have demonstrated this numerous times as the stored memories of people are physical to me ever since I died and returned.

They are stored in the consciousness field or soul external to the physical body.

[ConservativeMind]

I am sorry to hear of her passing.

May we all be with God in Heaven.

[Bobibutu]

For free non-drug solutions to PTSD take a look at these:

https://meditationforwarriorwellness.org

https://tmforveterans.org/pdf/ptsd/TM-and-PTSD-White-Paper.pdf

[Bobibutu]

Thx - reread the article ... slowly this time.