Propranolol Reactivation Mismatch

Propranolol Reactivation Mismatch (PRM) is an experimental therapeutic intervention developed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The protocol combines the pharmacological administration of propranolol, a non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, with a behavioral memory reactivation technique. The intervention is based on the theory of memory reconsolidation, which posits that when a traumatic memory is retrieved, it enters a labile state (deconsolidation) before being stored again (reconsolidation). By introducing a 'mismatch'—a contextual discrepancy between the expected and actual experience during the trauma narrative reading—the memory is successfully deconsolidated. Propranolol is administered to block the noradrenergic activity necessary for the subsequent reconsolidation process, thereby reducing the emotional strength of the traumatic memory and alleviating PTSD symptoms.

Other names

Reactivation MismatchPropranolol Reactivation Mismatch TreatmentPRM Treatment