National Geographic News is reporting that some neuroscientists believe the heart drug propranolol may help treat or prevent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Other researchers argue that the emotional stress that atrocities cause can be a necessary part of life and should not be supressed. For instance, would you want a soldier to be desensitized to the horrors of killing innocent children so he does it again?
Researchers say the beta-blocker propranolol, commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and heart problems, disrupts the way the brain stores memories.
If taken at the right time, the drug may benefit people who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), said Joseph LeDoux, a neuroscientist at New York University.
“We’re not erasing memories,” he said. “But we think it will reduce the emotional component of the memory.”
The science journal Nature reported Wednesday that LeDoux and colleagues are conducting a clinical trial of propranolol in PTSD patients.
Propranolol has been used not only for high blood pressure, but also for the nerves and anxiety that accompany stressful events like public speaking.
Memories are active at two points, storage, and recall. In order to be most effective, our soldiers would need to take the drug immediately following whatever trauma they witness or suffer, during the storage phase. It may only help a little if taken later during the recall phase.
Other researchers warn that propranolol could be abused. They fear the government could give it to soldiers to desensitize them to the atrocities of war, creating virtually unfeeling killing machines.
This is a delicate issue. PTSD can be a debilitating condition. On the other hand, a person who has no emotional connection to their experiences is what we commonly call a psychopath. What do you think?
