A laboratory procedure for the induction of flashbacks.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Uncontrolled interventional case series without a comparator group
PubMed 3661765 · doi:10.1176/ajp.144.10.1317
What was done
Intravenous lactate infusions were administered to 7 patients with a DSM-III diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 6 of whom also met DSM-III criteria for panic disorder.
What was found
Lactate infusions induced flashbacks in all 7 patients and panic attacks in 6 patients.
Why it matters
It demonstrates a potential pharmacological model to reliably provoke flashbacks and study the mechanistic relationship between dissociative symptoms and panic anxiety in PTSD.
Limits
The study is a tiny, uncontrolled case series (n = 7) lacking a placebo or control group, and results are heavily confounded by the high rate of comorbid panic disorder (6 of 7 participants).
Cited by
- supports Injecting people with lactate can trigger panic attacks, and in individuals with PTSD, lactate injection can reawaken traumatic memories.