Changing how people interpret threats to help reduce anxiety in movement disorders
Official title: Modification of Threat Interpretation Bias to Reduce Anxiety in Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-10932105 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a friendly online program designed to help people with movement disorders like Huntington's and Parkinson's manage their anxiety by teaching them to think about tricky situations in a more positive way.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $152,517 |
| NIH project number | 5K23NR020210-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10932105 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 years old who are diagnosed with Huntington's disease or Parkinson's disease and experience anxiety symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have neurodegenerative movement disorders or those without anxiety symptoms may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a web-based intervention to help individuals with neurodegenerative movement disorders, such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease, manage anxiety symptoms. The approach involves cognitive bias modification, which trains participants to reinterpret ambiguous situations in a less threatening way. By addressing negative thought patterns, the goal is to make anxious thinking more flexible and manageable. The research aims to adapt existing programs specifically for individuals with movement disorders, ensuring they meet their unique needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce anxiety symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders, improving their overall quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has shown feasibility for similar cognitive bias modification approaches in this population, indicating potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gibson, Jessie Sellers — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Gibson, Jessie Sellers
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Doula support to improve mood and anxiety health for rural mothers
A rural-focused program tests whether birth doulas can boost confidence, support, and maternal health for new mothers with mood and anxiety concerns.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
Molecular and brain circuits linked to anxiety disorders
A researcher is studying a specific brain circuit to understand what drives anxiety and how it could be treated for people with anxiety disorders.
-
Expressive Writing to Help Sexual Minority Veterans with Depression and Anxiety
A brief writing program to help sexual minority veterans feel less depression and anxiety.
-
Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy for Veterans with Social Anxiety and PTSD Symptoms
A clinical trial tests whether a flexible brain-behavior therapy helps veterans with social anxiety and PTSD symptoms feel better and engage more in daily life.
-
How parents' emotions shape young children's anxiety
This project explores how parents' moment-by-moment emotions and bodily signals shape anxiety in children from infancy through age 11.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.