Future pharmacotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: Prevention and treatment

In the future, medications for PTSD will be designed and selected to combat the unique pattern of psychobiological abnormalities associated with this disorder. That will be a radical departure from the present empirical approach in which clinical trials are conducted with medications initially developed as antidepressants, anxiolytics and anticonvulsants. In the future, PTSD will be understood from a longitudinal perspective as a psychobiological abnormality that evolves through different stages over time. As with other medical disorders, such an approach will inform treatment decisions since different medications will be more effective for different stages of the disorder. And, in the future, it will be understood that some traumatized people are more resilient while others more vulnerable to developing PTSD. The understanding of key differences in the psychobiological profile of resilient versus vulnerable individuals will guide pharmacological strategies for prevention of PTSD.