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Behavioral Intervention

Exercise Therapy for PTSD

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Thomas G Adams Jr, PhD
Research Sponsored by Thomas Adams
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be between 18 and 65 years old
Must not have
Major medical disorders such as cancer and AIDS
Physical disabilities that prohibit task performance such as deafness or blindness
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 24 hours (visit 2), 48 hours (visit 3)
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial tests if moderate exercise can help victims of interpersonal violence, with or without PTSD, retain therapeutic benefits better. The goal is to see if exercise reduces anxiety and heart rate when they think about their trauma.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for individuals who have experienced interpersonal violence and are medically healthy. They must speak English and can have PTSD from physical or sexual assault. People with developmental disorders, active substance use (especially daily cannabis), severe obesity, psychotic disorders, certain medical conditions related to exercise, pregnancy, cardiac disease, inability to consent, major disabilities or medical disorders like cancer or AIDS cannot join.
What is being tested?
The study is testing if a short session of aerobic exercise can help victims of interpersonal violence improve therapeutic learning. This could apply to those with or without PTSD. The interventions include an experimental group doing the exercise before therapy and an active control group that does not.
What are the potential side effects?
Since this trial involves aerobic exercise as an intervention rather than medication, side effects may include typical responses to physical activity such as muscle soreness, fatigue or shortness of breath but should be minimal.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have a major medical condition like cancer or AIDS.
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I do not have physical disabilities like deafness or blindness that stop me from performing tasks.
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I have a history of heart disease.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~24 hours (visit 2), 48 hours (visit 3)
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 24 hours (visit 2), 48 hours (visit 3) for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Change in participant electrodermal response
Change in participant heart rate
Change in participant subjective emotional ratings

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Moderate Intensity ExerciseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
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 eight trials of imaginal exposure (blocks of four neutral and four trauma narrative trials presented as text and sound) with heart rate monitoring and skin conductance. Anxiety will be measured at baseline and after each imagery trial. Participants will then complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity (70-75% maximum heart rate) exercise on a treadmill. Visit 3: Participants will complete eight more imaginal trials with heart rate and anxiety ratings as per visit 2.
Group II: Control - Low Intensity ExerciseActive Control1 Intervention
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 eight trials of imaginal exposure (blocks of four neutral and four trauma narrative trials presented as text and sound) with heart rate monitoring and skin conductance. Anxiety will be measured at baseline and after each imagery trial. Participants will then complete 30 minutes of light intensity (40-50% maximum heart rate) exercise on a treadmill. Visit 3: Participants will complete eight more imaginal trials with heart rate and anxiety ratings as per visit 2.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Experimental
2008
Completed Phase 2
~2200

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.
Mechanism Of Action
Side Effect Profile
Prior Approvals
Other Research
Common treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) include psychotherapy, medications, and aerobic exercise. Psychotherapy, particularly trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), helps patients process traumatic memories and reduce symptoms through structured sessions that address thought patterns and behaviors. Medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), work by balancing neurotransmitters in the brain to alleviate mood and anxiety symptoms. Aerobic exercise, which is being studied for its potential benefits in PTSD, enhances neuroplasticity and cognitive function by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and improving overall brain health. This is crucial for PTSD patients as it can help reduce threat expectations and improve the efficacy of exposure-based therapies, leading to better management of PTSD symptoms.
Aerobic exercise and consolidation of fear extinction learning among women with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Thomas AdamsLead Sponsor
3 Previous Clinical Trials
167 Total Patients Enrolled
Thomas G Adams Jr, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of Kentucky
1 Previous Clinical Trials

Media Library

Active Control (Behavioral Intervention) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT05177458 — N/A
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Research Study Groups: Control - Low Intensity Exercise, Moderate Intensity Exercise
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Trial 2023: Active Control Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT05177458 — N/A
Active Control (Behavioral Intervention) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT05177458 — N/A
~4 spots leftby Oct 2025