NCT01037101

D-Cycloserine-Enhancer of One-Session Treatment for Phobia of Heights

D-Cycloserine as Enhancer of One-Session Treatment for Phobia of Heights in Adults

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (estimated)
• Sponsor: CAMC Health System · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The study will determine the effects of D-Cycloserine (DCS) on fear reduction in patients diagnosed with phobia of heights (acrophobia) undergoing one session of three hours of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) or in vivo exposure therapy (IVET).

Detailed description

The impact of D-Cycloserine on Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and In Vivo Exposure Therapy (IVET) for phobia of heights (acrophobia) will be tested using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Eighty participants will be randomly assigned to one of the four treatment conditions: one-session VRET (3 hours) and 50 mg D-Cycloserine (VR-OST + DCS, N1=20); one-session VRET (3 hours) and placebo (VR-OST + Pl, N2=20); one-session IVET (3 hours) and placebo (IV + Pl, N3=20); or one-session IVET (3 hours) and 50 mg D-Cycloserine, (IV + DCS, N4=20). For twenty participants (5 from each group) the treatment will be delayed for three weeks and an additional assessment will be conducted as they will comprise a Wait List (WL) control group. Behavioral, cognitive and physiological changes in acrophobia will be assessed at pre-treatment, post-waitlist, post-treatment and 3 months follow-up.

Conditions

• Height Phobia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	In Vivo Exposure Therapy	Three hours of exposure therapy in a high place
BEHAVIORAL	Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy	Three hours of exposure therapy using a virtual reality system
DRUG	D-Cycloserine	50 mg of DCS administered 30 minutes before the session
DRUG	Placebo	50 mg placebo administered 30 minutes before the session

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-07-01
• Primary completion: 2014-12-01
• Completion: 2014-12-01
• First posted: 2009-12-21
• Last updated: 2013-10-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States