Here is another example of where things are going, but not yet achieved with PTSD, though this is only medication. Take note though about how exercise is more beneficial than most medications:

Ronald Duman, Ph.D., is Director of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenesis and Treatment Mechanisms within the Clinical Neurosciences Division of the National Center for PTSD

There is a great deal of interest in BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) as a target in a variety of neurological disorders, like multiple sclerosis, and many more studies like ours are now taking place.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much success yet in making drugs that act like BDNF in the brain. Typically, a drug is developed by identifying a substance in the body that has a particular effect, and then making a drug that acts like that substance. But we haven't figured out a way to do that yet with BDNF, mainly because the molecule is very large and therefore very difficult to reproduce, though a lot of people have been trying for a long time.

There's also a lot of interest from pharmaceutical companies in Cyclic AMP and various enzymes that could regulate the body's own production of BDNF, and in the results of our genetic studies.

We've also had some interesting evidence that drugs aren't necessarily the only answer. It's been demonstrated that exercise has a very positive effect on neurotrophic factors-actually more significant effects than drugs in many cases. We've found that if we give a mouse a running wheel, he'll get on it and run for miles and within a few weeks we see a dramatic upturn in the production of neurotrophic factors!

The more we understand normal brain chemistry, as well as the imbalances that occur, the more we can work toward designing and developing new medications and other effective treatments for PTSD.