The role of exercise in the consolidation of fear extinction learning in adults with high anxiety sensitivity

Brief description of study

This is an experimental study (not a treatment study) aiming to examine the effects of acute exercise (vs. seated control) on fear extinction learning in a 3-day paradigm. 50 eligible (after screening) men and women ages 18-60 with high anxiety sensitivity (AS) and an anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder) will participate in a 3-day paradigm. Day 1 includes habituation and conditioning procedures. Day 2 includes extinction procedures. Additionally, participants will be randomized to 1 of 2 conditions immediately following extinction: 1) moderate intensity exercise (n=25) or 2) seated control (n=25), occurring immediately after extinction for 20 minutes. Day 3 includes extinction recall, renewal, and reinstatement procedures. Primary outcomes are physiological arousal (skin conductance, heart rate) during Day 3 procedures. Mechanistic factors, including expected negative consequences of exercise (e.g., fainting), affect during exercise, threat/shock expectancy, and changes pre-post exercise in stress related neuroendocrine markers (cortisol and alpha-amylase) and their effects on extinction recall will be measured.


Clinical Study Identifier: s21-01657
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05203731
Principal Investigator: Kristin L Szuhany.
Other Investigators: Naomi M. Simon, Mohammed R Milad.


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