phobias and propranolol
there was a recent op-ed in the NY Times by the psychiatrist Richard Friedman on phobias and medical therapy (see http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/opinion/sunday/a-drug-to-cure-fear.html?emc=edit_th_20160124&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=67866768&_r=0 ). his points: --29% of Americans have some anxiety at some point in their lives --he cites a pretty remarkable study on using propranolol to block this anxiety, perhaps from blocking norepinephrine action (see article and review below) --he also raises the interesting contrary concern: stimulants (eg ritalin) can cause release of norepinephrine and could theoretically enhance fear/anxiety, or even PTSD in those exposed to trauma. he notes that soldiers exposed to stimulants did in fact have more PTSD in Iraq and Afghanistan, controlling for attention deficit disorder. ------ a small study was done looking at the effects of the b-blocker propranolol in inhibiting memory reconsolida...