Status:

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Quantifying Multi-step Avoidance in Anxiety

Lead Sponsor:

Emory University

Collaborating Sponsors:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Conditions:

Anxiety

Anxiety Disorders

Eligibility:

All Genders

22-55 years

Brief Summary

This study aims to learn more about avoidance behavior in people with anxiety, using mathematical models of decision-making processes and decoded neural signals of threat imminence. Researchers are i...

Detailed Description

Current learning theories of anxiety propose that disrupted fear learning underlie anxiety disorders. This suggests that treatments like exposure therapy work by changing learned threat values. Howeve...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Ability to comprehend written and spoken English
  • Ability to provide informed consent
  • Estimated intelligence quotient (IQ) \>70.
  • Clinically significant anxiety symptoms (scoring above clinical cutoff on at least one Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS) anxiety-related subscale and/or OASIS total)
  • Significant anxiety-related avoidance (scoring 2 or above on a 0-4 scale, indicating at least "occasional" avoidance) on the avoidance-related question on the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS)
  • Functional impairment, defined as at least moderate impairment in one WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) domain related to anxiety.

Exclusion

  • Individuals younger than 22 or older than 55,
  • Individuals with an IQ \< 70,
  • A lifetime history of neurological disorder or brain damage,
  • Contraindications for undergoing MRI scanning,
  • A lifetime history or diagnosis of psychosis or bipolar disorder,
  • Current substance use intoxication or withdrawal,
  • Severe risk of suicide, or
  • Recent (\<3 months) changes in psychotropic medicine or psychotherapy treatment,
  • Ineligible at the PI's discretion, are excluded.

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

January 1 2027

Trial Type :

OBSERVATIONAL

Allocation :

ESTIMATED

End Date :

June 1 2030

Estimated Enrollment :

163 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT07203027

Start Date

January 1 2027

End Date

June 1 2030

Last Update

October 2 2025

Active Locations (2)

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Page 1 of 1 (2 locations)

1

Emory College

Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322

2

Facility for Education and Research in Neuroscience (FERN)

Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30322