Physical Activity and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Panic Disorder

The Influence of Physical Activity on the Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Neurobiological Parameters and Information Processing in Patients With Panic Disorder With/Without Agoraphobia

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01788800

Enrollment

Registered

2013-02-11

Start date

2009-01-31

Completion date

2013-05-31

Last updated

2013-05-16

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

Conditions

Panic Disorder

Keywords

Panic disorder, Physical activity

Brief summary

Physical activity (treadmill) supports the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with panic disorder with/without agoraphobia

Detailed description

Patients undergo cognitive behavioural therapy consisting of 8 group sessions within 1 month. All patients additionally complete a training of physical activity, which starts simultaneously to therapy and runs for 8 weeks (3 times/week, 30 minutes each). Half of the patients complete training on a treadmill while the other half completes a training programme of low intensity physical activity without cardiovascular activation. Flanking EEG (electroencephalogram) recordings shall help clarify biological processes underlying the therapeutical process.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

9 sessions of CBT including psychoeducation and interoceptive exposure

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 75 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Subject familiarized with experimental procedure and had given written informed consent 2. Diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) 3. Sufficiently able to communicate with investigator, answer questions and fill in questionnaires 4. Reachability of patient for treatment and follow-up

Exclusion criteria

1. Other psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia, substance abuse or severe depressive episode 2. Acute suicidal tendency 3. Epilepsy or other illness of the central nervous system (e.g. brain tumor, encephalitis) 4. Existence of contraindication against physical exercise 5. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 6. Changes of psychopharmacological treatment within the last 4 weeks

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (CIPS 1995)	up to 28 weeks (follow up)	Global interviewer rated measure for anxiety and severity indicator of an anxiety disorder

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (Bandelow et al. 1995)	Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 28 weeks (follow up)
Beck Anxiety Inventory (CIPS 1995)	Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 28 weeks (follow up)
Clinical Global Index (CIPS 1995)	Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 28 weeks (follow up)
Beck Depression Inventory (CIPS 1995)	Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 28 weeks (follow up)

Other

Measure	Time frame	Description
EEG and endocrinology	Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 28 weeks (follow up)	EEG (Mismatch Negativity, Loudness dependency, P50/P300) and diurnal profile of Cortisol and alpha-Amylase

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026