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American Morning
Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Aired November 11, 2002 - 08:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: For years, post-traumatic stress disorder has been associated mainly with those exposed to the horrors of war, but since 9/11 of last year, it's been diagnosed more frequently in the general population, typically, it is treated with therapy, but now there could be a new remedy. That is why we bring in our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, to tell us more about it.
Good to see you, Sanjay. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Yes, post-traumatic stress disorder is certainly something we thought of a lot more after September 11th. But certainly, even after car accidents, other frightening events, other terror attacks, things like that, certainly post-traumatic disorder is a term we are all becoming more and more familiar with. Researchers have been looking for a long time into ways of trying to prevent some of the disastrous consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Interestingly enough, one of the medications they are looking into is actually a blood-pressure medication. They actually cause the victim to have less strong memories, and make memories not as strong of the particular frightening event -- Bill.
HEMMER: How do these drugs then prevent the memories from forming, if that is the case, according to this medication?
GUPTA: Exactly right. They prevent the memories from being as strong. To understand it, you really have to understand post- traumatic stress disorder. Typically, what happens in the wake is we evolve with a tendency as human beings to have a fight-or-flight sort of tendency, and it actually helps us evolve in keeping us out of danger. We see a danger actually happening, we remember that danger, so in the future, we are able to avoid it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA (voice-over): For example, if while hunting a herd of buffalo, one of our ancestors found standing in front of the herd when they suddenly stampeded, that strong memory would discourage himself from putting himself in front of angry buffalo very again. The image of a stampeding here would enter his mind, and active the emigdala (ph), the fear center of the brain. His fear would get his adrenaline flowing. That adrenaline tells the hippocampus (ph), the part of the brain that forms memories, to store these memories especially vividly.
(END VIDEOTAPE) GUPTA: We also know that the PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and these associated memories often can have disastrous consequences. Trying to make the memories less strong may actually cut down on the symptoms or the signs of PTSD.
Let's look at some of the particular disastrous consequences of PTSD. You can see there flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety.
Bill, the two medications they are talking about, again, interesting, are blood pressure medications, to make those printed less strongly from Pranelol (ph) and Pranadene (ph) are the two medications in the study. We are not there yet, but that's what's being studied right now.
HEMMER: What are they saying about how healthy this could be if it impedes the recovery process? Is that a possibility?
GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, the whole fight-or-flight reflex is a very important reflex. It keeps us out of danger. It keeps us remembering those dangers, so we don't do those same things in the future.
But, Bill, there are certain things that happen to people, certain terrorist actions, for example, that people would just as soon not remember as strongly. They're not making them forget that altogether, but they['re making them remember them less strongly, so they don't have the increased blood pressure, the increased heart rate, every time they're faced with a similar sort of situation.
HEMMER: Interesting stuff, as it always is, dealing with the brain.
Our neurosurgeon in charge, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Good seeing you, Bill. Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 11, 2002 - 08:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: For years, post-traumatic stress disorder has been associated mainly with those exposed to the horrors of war, but since 9/11 of last year, it's been diagnosed more frequently in the general population, typically, it is treated with therapy, but now there could be a new remedy. That is why we bring in our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, to tell us more about it.
Good to see you, Sanjay. Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Yes, post-traumatic stress disorder is certainly something we thought of a lot more after September 11th. But certainly, even after car accidents, other frightening events, other terror attacks, things like that, certainly post-traumatic disorder is a term we are all becoming more and more familiar with. Researchers have been looking for a long time into ways of trying to prevent some of the disastrous consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Interestingly enough, one of the medications they are looking into is actually a blood-pressure medication. They actually cause the victim to have less strong memories, and make memories not as strong of the particular frightening event -- Bill.
HEMMER: How do these drugs then prevent the memories from forming, if that is the case, according to this medication?
GUPTA: Exactly right. They prevent the memories from being as strong. To understand it, you really have to understand post- traumatic stress disorder. Typically, what happens in the wake is we evolve with a tendency as human beings to have a fight-or-flight sort of tendency, and it actually helps us evolve in keeping us out of danger. We see a danger actually happening, we remember that danger, so in the future, we are able to avoid it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA (voice-over): For example, if while hunting a herd of buffalo, one of our ancestors found standing in front of the herd when they suddenly stampeded, that strong memory would discourage himself from putting himself in front of angry buffalo very again. The image of a stampeding here would enter his mind, and active the emigdala (ph), the fear center of the brain. His fear would get his adrenaline flowing. That adrenaline tells the hippocampus (ph), the part of the brain that forms memories, to store these memories especially vividly.
(END VIDEOTAPE) GUPTA: We also know that the PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and these associated memories often can have disastrous consequences. Trying to make the memories less strong may actually cut down on the symptoms or the signs of PTSD.
Let's look at some of the particular disastrous consequences of PTSD. You can see there flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety.
Bill, the two medications they are talking about, again, interesting, are blood pressure medications, to make those printed less strongly from Pranelol (ph) and Pranadene (ph) are the two medications in the study. We are not there yet, but that's what's being studied right now.
HEMMER: What are they saying about how healthy this could be if it impedes the recovery process? Is that a possibility?
GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, the whole fight-or-flight reflex is a very important reflex. It keeps us out of danger. It keeps us remembering those dangers, so we don't do those same things in the future.
But, Bill, there are certain things that happen to people, certain terrorist actions, for example, that people would just as soon not remember as strongly. They're not making them forget that altogether, but they['re making them remember them less strongly, so they don't have the increased blood pressure, the increased heart rate, every time they're faced with a similar sort of situation.
HEMMER: Interesting stuff, as it always is, dealing with the brain.
Our neurosurgeon in charge, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Good seeing you, Bill. Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
