Neurocognitive Study of Pediatric Anxiety Disorders Using CBT or Fluoxetine Treatment

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand the connections between brain function and symptoms in children and young adults with anxiety disorders. It compares healthy youth and medication-free patients before and after treatment. The study also explores how treatments affect brain activity related to attention, memory, and motivation using neurocognitive tasks, MRI, and brain electrical activity measures over one year. Two standard treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy CBT and fluoxetine a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, are evaluated in this phase 2 trial. Participants receive 12 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy. During the last eight weeks, they are randomly assigned to receive either an active intervention or a control treatment before each weekly CBT session. The active intervention involves computer-based attention training to shift focus away from angry faces, while the control treatment does not shape attention in this way. Both treatments are delivered before therapy sessions, with fluoxetine also being studied as a medication option. Throughout the study, participants undergo weekly assessments using the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Improvement Scale to measure anxiety symptoms and treatment response. Brain imaging and neurocognitive evaluations track changes in brain regions like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. The study lasts about one year, including baseline and follow-up visits for healthy and affected youth. Researchers monitor clinical, cognitive, and neural changes to better understand anxiety and treatment effects.

Study of Neuro-Cognitive Correlates of Pediatric Anxiety Disorders