Integrative biological, cognitive and affective modeling of a drug-therapy for a post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

In this paper a computational model of a therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder by medicines is presented. The considered therapy has as a goal to decrease the stress level of a stressed individual by injections. Several medicines have been used to decrease the stress level. The presented temporal-causal network model aims at integrative modeling a medicine-based therapy where the relevant biological, cognitive and affective factors are modeled in a dynamic manner. In the first phase a strong stress-inducing stimulus causes the individual to develop an (affective) extreme stressful emotion. In the second phase, the individual makes the (cognitive) decision to apply an injection as a medicine with a goal shown to make the stressed individual relaxed. The third phase (biologically) models how the injection reduces the stress level.