Inflammation and fear learning in PTSD
Official title: Inflammatory challenge and fear extinction: A model to enhance understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder
Funded at Northern California Institute/res/edu · NIH-11468318 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how a temporary inflammatory challenge affects fear extinction in people with and without PTSD to better understand how PTSD could be treated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern California Institute/res/edu NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| Award (this year) | $696,630 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH135076-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468318 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with trauma exposure, including individuals with PTSD and healthy controls, who can safely participate in an inflammatory challenge.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with conditions that contraindicate inflammatory challenges or those unable to complete fear extinction tasks may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers plan to examine how acute inflammation influences fear extinction and its recall in trauma-exposed men and women, including those with PTSD and those without. The study builds on preclinical work suggesting inflammation, especially IL-6, can hinder fear extinction and may affect men and women differently. By administering a controlled inflammatory challenge and measuring fear learning and recall, the project aims to identify mechanisms that could inform new anti-inflammatory strategies to improve PTSD treatment. The work involves human participants and builds toward translating findings into potential adjunctive therapies for PTSD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide new treatment approaches that combine anti-inflammatory strategies with existing PTSD therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in animals and humans suggest inflammation can affect fear extinction, supporting a translational path for PTSD interventions.
Where this research is happening
-
Northern California Institute/res/edu
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'donovan, Aoife — Northern California Institute/res/edu
- Study coordinator: O'donovan, Aoife
Related research
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Computationally mapping PTSD to better diagnosis and personalized care
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.