Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
Anxiety, Mental Health
Brief summary
A novel procedure for generalized anxiety disorder where an odorant cue is paired with the state of deep relaxation during training. It is hypothesized that by smelling the odor in an anxiety-provoking situation, the patient will more easily invoke a state of relaxation, providing greater relief from the distressing tension and worry that characterize GAD.
Detailed description
We hypothesize that by presenting a novel odor to a patient in a state of deep relaxation, the odor will serve as a conditioned inhibitory stimulus, or safety signal, in anxiety-provoking situations. With the odor serving as a contextual cue for the state of relaxation.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALOdorant Cue
Sponsors
Emory University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* GAD without a comorbid active major psychiatric disorder. * GAD must be the primary active psychiatric disorder. * GAD determined via the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
Exclusion criteria
* Significant medical illness that might interfere with the relaxation therapy or with training using the odorant. * Actively abusing alcohol. * Illicit substances. * Currently using rapid-acting anxiolytic agents (e.g. benzodiazepines, hydroxyzine). * Started an antidepressant, antipsychotic or mood stabilizing agent within three months of screening visit.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| PSWQ | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| HAM-A | — |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed