Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Can a blood pressure pill blunt a traumatic memory?

NCT ID NCT01713556

Symptom relief Sponsor: University Hospital, Toulouse Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 25, 2026

Summary

Researchers are testing whether propranolol, a drug that blocks adrenaline, can reduce PTSD symptoms when it is taken while a person recalls a traumatic event. The idea is that blocking the body's stress response during recall may weaken the memory's emotional hold. The trial enrolls adults with chronic PTSD and compares propranolol with a placebo during script-driven memory reactivation, then tracks symptom scores.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
propranolol, a blood pressure drug that blocks the body's adrenaline response
What this could lead to
If it works, propranolol taken during memory recall could become a short, low-cost way to soften the grip of a traumatic memory and ease PTSD symptoms.
What could go wrong
This is a mid-stage trial in a small group, and blocking adrenaline during recall may not weaken the memory enough to change symptoms. Propranolol can lower blood pressure and cause fatigue or dizziness, so it is not safe for everyone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

87 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Nov 2012

Finished

Jun 2017

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of chronic PTSD * PTSD CheckList total score \>44 Exclusion Criteria: * Systolic blood pressure \< 100 mmHg * Contraindication to Propranolol * Previous adverse reaction to a β-blocker * Use of another β-blocker * Use of medication that could involve potentially dangerous interactions with propranolol * Psychotherapy or treatment with any pharmacologic PTSD medication within the 2 weeks prior to inclusion (6 weeks for fluoxetine) * Female with reproductive potential without reliable means of contraception * Pregnancy or lactation * Alcohol or drug abuse

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Post-traumatic stress disorder are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-traumatic stress disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • CHU Toulouse

    Toulouse, 31000, France

  • Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens

    Bordeaux, 33076, France

  • Chru Lille

    Lille, 59037, France

  • Chu Montpellier

    Montpellier, 34295, France

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.