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CompletedNo phase

Level of Physical Activity and Fear Learning

Key facts

Who runs it
NYU Langone Health
Where
New York, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Status
Completed
People taking part
54 people enrolled
Started
31 Jan 2023
Ended
19 Mar 2025
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a sham (pretend) treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Exercise
  • Sitting
Record updated
27 February 2026

Who can take part

Age
18 years to 60 years
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 13 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Males and females ages 18-60
  • A primary diagnosis of a DSM-5 anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder)
  • Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 score of ≥23 (i.e., high anxiety sensitivity)
  • Able and willing to provide informed consent

Who cannot take part

  • Current PTSD (past PTSD > 6 months prior to screening is allowed)
  • Stable psychiatric medications for at least 4 weeks prior to experimental procedures
  • Lifetime Bipolar Disorder or psychosis
  • Past 3 months substance use disorder or eating disorder
  • High risk for exercise according to the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and American College of Sports Medicine guidelines with excluded active medical conditions including heart conditions, lung disease, bone/joint problems, or seizures
  • Current substance abuse or positive urine toxicology screen (recreational use of marijuana is permitted based on clinical assessment on the MINI structured diagnostic interview that it does not meet criteria for cannabis use disorder)
  • Women who are currently pregnant
  • Acute suicide risk (active suicidal ideation with plan and intent) as indicated by a score of ≥4 on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
  • Benzodiazepine use

Where in United States

  • NYU Langone HealthNew York, United States

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The proposed experimental study will be the first to investigate whether exercise vs. sitting enhances consolidation of extinction learning in adults with high AS and anxiety disorders, and the mechanistic pathways of expectancy, affect, and key stress response markers.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Exercise GroupTreatment being tested

    Participants who will be randomized to moderate intensity exercise after extinction (Day 1)

    Treatment: Exercise

  • Seated groupSham treatment, for comparison

    Participants who will be randomized to sitting after extinction (Day 1)

    Treatment: Sitting

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
The Role of Exercise in the Consolidation of Fear Extinction Learning in Adults With High Anxiety Sensitivity
Record updated
27 February 2026