Aerobic Exercise and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms

Part of paid clinical trials in New Haven, Connecticut.

Sponsor
Yale University
Study ID
NCT07103902
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Eligibility Criteria

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

Interventions

  • Moderate-Intensity Exercise — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 70% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down.
  • Low-Intensity Exercise — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 40-50% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down.

Study Details

The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of exercise on cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does moderate intensity physical activity reduce subjective distress, compulsive urges, and intrusions- and increase cognitive flexibility- in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to low-intensity physical activity? Researchers will compare low- to moderate-intensity exercise to see if moderate physical activity increases cognitive flexibility and reduces symptom reactivity in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Participants will: Complete self-report surveys, psychiatric interviews, and cognitive tasks. Be assigned to either a low- or moderate-intensity exercise condition and complete physical activity. Repeat cognitive and symptom measures following the exercise intervention.

Key Dates

Start date
Dec 1, 2025
Status verified
Jul 2025
Primary completion
Sep 1, 2026
Completion
Sep 1, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

  • Experimental: Moderate-Intensity Exercise
  • Other: Low-Intensity Exercise
    Control

Primary Outcome Measure

Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task called the Lucky Picture Selection Game. [ Time Frame: Cognitive flexibility will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2. ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Temple Medical CenterNew HavenConnecticut06511
Emily Weiss, PhD
[email protected]
Thomas Adams, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in New Haven, CT

By research site
Temple Medical Center· New Haven, CT

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