NCT02372110

Disentangling Anxiety Sensitivity and Anxiety-induced Physiological Stress Response

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 120 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The proposed study aims to investigate experimentally anxiety sensitivity and physiologic sensations associated with anxiety using a paradigm combining hydrocortisone, caffeine, and a set of social stress challenges. Following informed consent, participants will be instructed to ingest either 400 milligrams of caffeine (an amount of caffeine roughly equivalent to that in two 8 oz. cups of brewed coffee from Starbucks), and 20 milligrams of hydrocortisone or two placebo capsules via stratified, random assignment. Physiologic and self-reported measures of stress and anxiety will be taken.

Detailed description

Given the debilitating nature of anxiety disorders, a greater understanding of its etiology and the development of appropriate early interventions are critical. However, due to the mutually reinforcing nature of anxiety sensitivity (a key component of anxiety disorders) and physiological sensations associated with anxiety, no previous studies have examined these two variables separately in response to an acute stressor. The proposed study aims to investigate these two variables independently using a paradigm combining hydrocortisone, caffeine, and TSST. It is hypothesized that when an individual's physiological stress responses (SNS and HPA axis) are enhanced, he or she will experience greater subjective stress and a lesser sense of mastery in response to an acute stressor (e.g., the TSST). In addition, anxiety sensitivity will moderate subjective ratings of stress and mastery, such that individuals high on anxiety sensitivity will rate the TSST as more subjectively stressful and their performance as less effectual compared to individuals low on anxiety sensitivity, due to greater vigilance of interoceptive responses and internal stimuli.

Conditions

• Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	HPA, ANS stimulation	Oral administration of Hydrocortisone will increase HPA axis activity. Oral administration of Caffeine will boost ANS activity
DRUG	Placebo	Two cellulose placebo capsules filled with acidophilus powder will be administered to subjects who are randomly assigned to the placebo condition

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-03-01
• Primary completion: 2015-11-01
• Completion: 2015-11-01
• First posted: 2015-02-26
• Last updated: 2021-04-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States