Exercise and Emotional Learning in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Part of paid clinical trials in Lexington, Kentucky.

Sponsor
Christal L Badour
Study ID
NCT06127342
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 64 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Moderate Intensity Exercise — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will wear a heartrate monitor and cycle on a stationary bike at a slow speed for 5 minutes, then slowly cycle on a stationary bike for 30 minutes, then cycle on the stationary bike at a slow speed for 5 minutes.
  • Low Intensity Exercise — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will wear a heartrate monitor and cycle on a stationary bike at a slow speed for 40 minutes.

Study Details

The goal of this clinical trial is to test how exercise affects learning and memory processes relevant to the treatment of PTSD. Participants will complete a baseline intake followed by two experimental sessions. During the first experimental session, participants will undergo an MRI session of imaginal exposure to traumatic memory cues followed by 30-minutes of moderate intensity exercise or low intensity exercise. Participants will complete a second session of imaginal exposure with MRI 24 hours later.

Key Dates

Start date
May 13, 2024
Status verified
Aug 2025
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2026
Completion
Nov 30, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Moderate Intensity Exercise
    Visit 1: Participants will complete study screening, PTSD assessments, and provide written narrative for a traumatic event and a neutral control event. Visit 2: Participants will complete baseline structural MRI scans before completing 8 trials of imaginal exposure - 4 neutral then 4 trauma narratives - with psychophysiological and fMRI measurement. Following completion of the imaginal exposure task, the participant will perform Moderate-Intensity Exercise (30-min at 70-75% max HR with 5-min warm-up and 5-min cool-down at 40-50% max HR), on a stationary bike. Visit 3: Participants will complete the same imaginal exposure with measurement of psychophysiology, fMRI, and subjective emotional responding.
  • Active Comparator: Low Intensity Exercise
    Visit 1: Participants will complete study screening, PTSD assessments, and provide written narrative for a traumatic event and a neutral control event. Visit 2: Participants will complete baseline structural MRI scans before completing 8 trials of imaginal exposure - 4 neutral then 4 trauma narratives - with psychophysiological and fMRI measurement. Following completion of the imaginal exposure task, the participant will perform Low-Intensity Exercise (control; 40-mins at 40-50% max HR),on a stationary bike. Visit 3: Participants will complete the same imaginal exposure with measurement of psychophysiology, fMRI, and subjective emotional responding.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in participant subjective emotional ratings [ Time Frame: 24 hours ]

Central Contacts

Locations (2)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
University of KentuckyLexingtonKentucky40506
Thomas G Adams, PhD
[email protected]
University of TexasAustinTexas78712
Josh Cisler, PhD
[email protected]
512-495-5162

Find similar trials in Lexington, KY

By condition
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
University of Kentucky· Lexington, KYUniversity of Texas· Austin, TX

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