The Influence of Aerobic Exercise on Consolidation of Fear Extinction Learning in PTSD
ConditionPTSD
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-64
SponsorUniversity of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
About this trial
This study aims to test whether aerobic exercise performed after fear extinction learning improves cognitive, physiological, and neural indices of extinction recall in a sample of trauma-exposed men and women with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants will complete a clinical intake visit (Day 0), followed by a three-day fear conditioning (day 1), fear extinction + activity (day 2), and fear extinction recall (day 3) protocol.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
male or female sex
right-handed
age 18-64
a current diagnosis of PTSD where the index event involves interpersonal violence exposure (e.g., physical/sexual assault).
Disqualifiers
current substance use disorder (other than alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis)
acute suicidality
history of bipolar/psychotic disorder
changes to or addition of psychiatric medication in the past 4 weeks (6 weeks for fluoxetine)
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Exercise
BehavioralParticipants will complete either a 30-minute bout of light-, moderate-, or high-intensity aerobic exercise at one of the visits.
Treatment groups
120 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: Light-intensity aerobic exerciseExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Moderate-intensity aerobic exerciseExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group C: High-intensity aerobic exerciseExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Skin conductance responses
SCR data will be collected while participants are completing the cognitive task in the MRI environment.
Time frame
Collected during fear conditioning, fear extinction, and extinction recall task.2
Threat expectancy ratings
Threat expectancy ratings will be collected while participants are completing the cognitive task in the MRI environment.
Time frame
Collected during fear conditioning, fear extinction, and extinction recall task.3
Neural activity
Neural activity will be collected while participants are completing the cognitive task in the MRI environment.
Time frame
Collected during fear conditioning, fear extinction, and extinction recall task.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov