Psychobiological Responses Following Exercise and Brain Stimulation

Launched by VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · Mar 7, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how exercise combined with a specific type of brain stimulation can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety disorders are very common and can cause a lot of worry and physical discomfort, affecting people’s daily lives. The researchers want to explore new ways to help those who may not respond well to traditional treatments like medications or therapy.

To participate in this study, you need to be a healthy adult between the ages of 18 and 50. You should not have any neurological or mental health disorders, and you must not be taking medications that affect your brain. Additionally, you should not smoke or drink more than ten alcoholic beverages a week, and women who are pregnant cannot participate. If you join the study, you will be asked to complete some physical activity assessments and may engage in exercise sessions combined with brain stimulation to see if this helps with anxiety.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Healthy adults
• • aged 18 to 50
• • consent and complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
• • be free from any neurological or psychiatric disorder
• • not be taking any medication that could affect the central nervous system
• • not have any contraindication for HD-tDCS (i.e. not having metal implanted in the head, pacemaker, medical bumps, seizures, lesions on the scalp or head ) or for bioelectrical impedance (i.e., electronic medical implant, such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator, and limb amputation)
• • not be regular users of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco)
• • not consume an average of more than ten alcoholic beverages per week
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Individuals who do not meet the PAR-Q screening criteria for participation in moderate physical activity will be excluded from participating in this study
• • women who are pregnant will be exclude from this study