Sport-Induced Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Adolescents With and Without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Sport-Induced Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Adolescents With and Without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - TE4T-Youth

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00038389

Enrollment

Registered

2026-04-23

Start date

2025-10-30

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-04-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

F43.1

Interventions

Group 1: Open-Label Exercise Intervention (30 minutes) Moderate physical activity targeting 70–75 % of the individual’s maximum heart rate. Participants: Adolescents aged 14–18 years Patient group: A

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

14 Years to 18 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Ages 14 to 18 Sufficient knowledge of German Written informed consent from participants (and, if under 16, from their legal guardians) Group 1 – Patients with PTSD Diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to clinical diagnosis Currently receiving outpatient or inpatient treatment at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm Willingness to participate in the standardized sports intervention and examinations Group 2 – Healthy control subjects No history of trauma, verified using the CATS-2 questionnaire (Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen) No psychiatric abnormalities, verified by the SCID-I screening Healthy, i.e., no neurological or mental illnesses

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Current or recurrent neurological or psychiatric disorder (for control group) Schizophrenic spectrum disorder Positive urine test for THC-COOH or cannabis/CBD use within the last 6 months Organic brain disorder Severe physical illness Acute substance use disorder

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
WHAT: Changes in the blood plasma concentration of endocannabinoids (e.g., anandamide/AEA and 2-arachidonoylglycerol/2-AG) following a standardized exercise intervention. WHEN (time points): T1: shortly before the start of the exercise protocol (0 minutes) T2: after 15 minutes T3: end of the exercise session (40 minutes) T4: 30 minutes after the end of the exercise program (i.e., 70 minutes after the start). HOW: Venous blood samples (7.5 ml EDTA at each time point T1–T4) are taken for the analysis of endocannabinoids and associated markers; plasma is centrifuged and stored at -80 °C.	—

Measure

Time frame

WHAT: Changes in the blood plasma concentration of endocannabinoids (e.g., anandamide/AEA and 2-arachidonoylglycerol/2-AG) following a standardized exercise intervention. WHEN (time points): T1: shortly before the start of the exercise protocol (0 minutes) T2: after 15 minutes T3: end of the exercise session (40 minutes) T4: 30 minutes after the end of the exercise program (i.e., 70 minutes after the start). HOW: Venous blood samples (7.5 ml EDTA at each time point T1–T4) are taken for the analysis of endocannabinoids and associated markers; plasma is centrifuged and stored at -80 °C.

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
WHAT: Relationship between exercise-induced changes in endocannabinoids and psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, quality of life, emotion regulation, etc.). WHEN: Questionnaire administration at the start of the study (breakfast/study start, before intervention; questionnaires are administered concurrently with measurements). HOW: Standardized questionnaires (in German): CATS-2 – Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen. MACE – Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Scale. ITQ – International Trauma Questionnaire. UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for Children and Adolescents. BDI-II – Beck Depression Inventory II. SCARED – Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. SDQ – Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (also available as a parent version for caregivers). KIDSCREEN-10 – Health-Related Quality of Life. ERQ – Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. For caregivers, additionally: PHQ-4, CTQ (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), etc. WHAT: Group comparison – differences in endocannabinoid concentrations between the PTSD group and control group (especially baseline T1 and course T1–T4). WHEN: T1–T4 (see above). HOW: Blood plasma analyses (EDTA samples, stored at -80 °C). WHAT: Influence of genetic variation (FAAH polymorphism C385A / rs324420) on endocannabinoid levels and their alteration through exercise. WHEN: A genetic sample will be taken additionally at T4. HOW: 2.7 ml of EDTA at T4 will be collected for genetic analysis (rs324420 C385A) and stored at -80 °C. (The document explicitly states rs324420 C385A.) WHAT: Drug screening (urine screening) to detect cannabis/other substances (exclusion criterion and control purpose). WHEN: During the study (at enrollment/before intervention). HOW: Urine collection and laboratory test for, e.g., THC-COOH (a positive result is an exclusion criterion).	—

Measure

Time frame

WHAT: Relationship between exercise-induced changes in endocannabinoids and psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, quality of life, emotion regulation, etc.). WHEN: Questionnaire administration at the start of the study (breakfast/study start, before intervention; questionnaires are administered concurrently with measurements). HOW: Standardized questionnaires (in German): CATS-2 – Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen. MACE – Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Scale. ITQ – International Trauma Questionnaire. UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for Children and Adolescents. BDI-II – Beck Depression Inventory II. SCARED – Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. SDQ – Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (also available as a parent version for caregivers). KIDSCREEN-10 – Health-Related Quality of Life. ERQ – Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. For caregivers, additionally: PHQ-4, CTQ (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), etc. WHAT: Group comparison – differences in endocannabinoid concentrations between the PTSD group and control group (especially baseline T1 and course T1–T4). WHEN: T1–T4 (see above). HOW: Blood plasma analyses (EDTA samples, stored at -80 °C). WHAT: Influence of genetic variation (FAAH polymorphism C385A / rs324420) on endocannabinoid levels and their alteration through exercise. WHEN: A genetic sample will be taken additionally at T4. HOW: 2.7 ml of EDTA at T4 will be collected for genetic analysis (rs324420 C385A) and stored at -80 °C. (The document explicitly states rs324420 C385A.) WHAT: Drug screening (urine screening) to detect cannabis/other substances (exclusion criterion and control purpose). WHEN: During the study (at enrollment/before intervention). HOW: Urine collection and laboratory test for, e.g., THC-COOH (a positive result is an exclusion criterion).

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Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactVera Clemens

Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm

vera.clemens@uniklinik-ulm.de+49 731 500-61661

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: May 1, 2026