Exercise to boost fear extinction in people with PTSD
Official title: Efficacy and Mechanisms of Exercise-Enhanced Fear Extinction
Run by University of Texas at Austin · NCT07548125 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether moderate aerobic exercise done during or after extinction learning can help adults with PTSD reduce later fear responses.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Texas at Austin Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Austin, Texas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 2, 2025 |
| Main results expected | May 1, 2030 |
| Study ends | May 1, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | April 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07548125 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–55 who speak English, are medically healthy, meet current PTSD symptom criteria (including at least one re-experiencing symptom), and are cleared to perform moderate aerobic exercise.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are pregnant, have recent cardiac events, unstable arrhythmias, or other medical conditions that make aerobic exercise unsafe, or who do not meet the PTSD symptom threshold, are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project enrolls adults with PTSD and uses a laboratory fear-conditioning and extinction paradigm as a model of exposure therapy. After extinction learning, participants perform moderate-intensity aerobic exercise delivered either during or immediately after extinction or complete a control condition. The study measures fear responding and generalization 24 hours later and examines physiological and neurobiological mechanisms that might explain any exercise-related benefit. Findings will show whether timing of exercise enhances consolidation of extinction memory in PTSD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could strengthen extinction memory and improve exposure-therapy outcomes, reducing PTSD symptoms and relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Small laboratory studies and pilot data—including preliminary results in women with PTSD—suggest moderate-intensity aerobic exercise after extinction can reduce later fear responding, but larger confirmatory trials are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 - 55 years of age * Currently experiencing at least 4 PTSD symptoms with at least 1 re-experiencing symptom (e.g., trauma memory intrusion, trauma nightmares, trauma flashbacks, intense emotional distress related to trauma, or marked physiological reactivity related to trauma) from criterion B. * English speaking * Medically healthy Exclusion Criteria: * being pregnant * having a history of light headedness or fainting during physical activity * having a history of chest pain during physical activity * having a bone, joint, cardiac, or other medical condition that a doctor has said may be worsened by physical activity * responding 'Yes' to any of the seven questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q; unless they provide a doctor's note indicating that it is safe for them to engage in aerobic exercise ) * percutaneous coronary intervention or acute myocardial infarction in the last 6 weeks * unstable arrhythmias/implanted cardiac defibrillator shocks in the last 3 months * Internal ferromagnetic objects (such as electronic devices, surgical implants, shrapnel, etc.) * Nonremovable dental implants, such as braces or upper permanent retainers, as these will distort the MRI images we collect (note: filings, crowns, and silver or gold teeth are OK) * Any other condition, medication, or implant that the investigator believes would degrade image quality or render data unusable * psychotic disorders * Permanent makeup or tattoos with metallic dyes, * A self-reported history of loss of consciousness (greater than 30 minutes) * physical disabilities that prohibit task performance (such as blindness or deafness) * Any other condition that the investigator believes might put the participant at risk * Claustrophobia * History of cardiovascular disease * on-going traumatic event exposure (e.g., living with an abusive partner) * Severe substance use disorder. * unstable medication (changes within the past \~4 weeks) * Acute sedatives/pain killers (e.g., benzodiazepines, Vicodin) and prescription stimulants (e.g., Adderall) would not be permitted for 6 hours prior to the study visit.
Where it's running
-
Health Discovery Building
Austin, Texas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Josh M Cisler, PhD
- Email: josh.cisler@austin.utexas.edu
- Phone: 512-495-5162
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Veterans With TBI and PCS
This study tests whether 40 HBOT sessions can change blood biomarkers in veterans with traumatic brain injury and persistent symptoms, and whether PTSD affects those biomarker changes.
-
Internet-delivered ACT for youth with PTSD and chronic pain
A small pilot study will test a web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program for teens and young adults with PTSD and chronic pain to see if it helps with symptoms and functioning.
-
Amgdala–prefrontal circuits in fear extinction
This study tests how fear learning and extinction work in people with epilepsy who are already undergoing brain monitoring, by recording and stimulating Brain regions involved in fear.
-
Reboxetine plus Ritalin vs Dog-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
This study tests whether a drug combo of reboxetine and methylphenidate works better than dog-assisted therapy for people with PTSD.
-
Floatation-REST for frontline workers with post-traumatic stress symptoms
This early pilot tests whether two 60-minute Floatation-REST sessions can be safely tried by frontline healthcare workers and first responders who have post-traumatic stress symptoms, compared to watching a documentary.
-
Short-Term Intensive PTSD Treatment for Military Personnel
This trial tests whether a brief, massed form of CPT and EMDR can quickly reduce PTSD symptoms and related cognitive problems in active-duty military personnel.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.