Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)NCT07103902
Aerobic Exercise and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms
A study testing Moderate-Intensity Exercise and Low-Intensity Exercise in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of exercise on cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does moderate intensity physical activity reduce subjective distress, compulsive urges, and intrusions- and increase cognitive flexibility- in adults with… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- What is being tested?
- Moderate-Intensity Exercise and Low-Intensity Exercise
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 16 Feb 2026to 1 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Adults, age 18 to 64 years
- Meet diagnostic criteria for OCD (per the DIAMOND)
- Stable psychiatric or medication treatment (if ≥4-weeks), or if no active treatment. Psychotropic medications will be reviewed with the study psychiatrist on a case by case basis.
Who cannot join
- Active or unmanaged psychotic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorder, current substance use disorder (moderate-to-severe), or high risk for suicide (defined as attempt, plan, or intent within past 3 months)
- Documented motor impairments and medical condition(s) that prohibit physical exercise
- Those who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Temple Medical Center
New Haven, Connecticut, 06511
Emily Weiss, PhD, emily.weiss@yale.edu
Thomas Adams, PhD
About this study
Official title: Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms and Cognitive Flexibility
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of exercise on cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does moderate intensity physical activity reduce subjective distress, compulsive urges, and intrusions- and increase cognitive flexibility- in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to low-intensity physical activity?
Read more
Researchers will compare low- to moderate-intensity exercise to see if moderate physical activity increases cognitive flexibility and reduces symptom reactivity in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Participants will:
Complete self-report surveys, psychiatric interviews, and cognitive tasks.
Be assigned to either a low- or moderate-intensity exercise condition and complete physical activity.
Repeat cognitive and symptom measures following the exercise intervention.
Read the detailed description
The proposed study aims to determine if moderate physical activity increases cognitive flexibility (aim 1) and reduces symptom reactivity (aim 2) in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will be asked to participate in this study, which consists of two visits in addition to a self-report survey between these two visits.
This study will randomize 50 adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for aims 1 and 2.
First, participants will complete a phone screen to determine preliminary eligibility. During Session 1, participants will be consented and complete the diagnostic interview for anxiety, mood, and obsessive-compulsive related disorders (DIAMOND), the baseline probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task, the symptom reactivity task, and self-report measures in-person. Between sessions 1 and 2, participants will be asked to complete several self-report measures via RedCap survey link.
Session 2 will take place 7-10 days following Session 1. Upon arrival to the lab, participants will be randomized (1:1) to a moderate-intensity physical activity or a low-intensity control condition. Randomization will be stratified based on sex and age to minimize demographic differences. Participants will be blind to allocation.
Individuals assigned to the moderate-intensity physical activity condition will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 70% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. In the low-intensity control condition, participants will cycle for 20 minutes at a 40-50% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. Participants will be instructed to maintain pedaling speed within ranges appropriate for each condition (e.g., 30-40 RPM for low-intensity) and research staff will adjust resistance level throughout the session to ensure that they stay within the target heart rate zones. Participants will be asked to rate their perceived exertion at five minute intervals throughout the session.
Following moderate- or low-intensity exercise, participants will complete follow-up administrations of cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity tasks.
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using the computerized Lucky Picture Selection Game, a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task. Participants choose between three images to earn points for a monetary bonus, with one image being the "lucky picture." The task includes ~260 trials across low and high volatility blocks, reflecting reversal frequency.
Symptom reactivity will be assessed using the The Braga Obsessive Compulsive Symptom Image Set (BOCI), an open-source, validated task designed to provoke obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms across washing, checking, and symmetry symptom dimensions.
Exercise intensity will be measured as a function of maximum heart rate. A PolarTech chest-strap heart rate monitor will be used during the exercise/control conditions to maintain the target intensity level. Heart rate will be monitored continuously throughout the session.
- Conditions
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Being tested
- Moderate-Intensity Exercise, Low-Intensity Exercise
- Keywords
- Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Medical subject headings
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Moderate-Intensity ExerciseBehavioural
Participants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 70% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down.
Low-Intensity ExerciseBehavioural
Participants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 40-50% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate-Intensity Exercise | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Exercise |
| Low-Intensity Exercise | Other | Control Receives: Behavioral: Low-Intensity Exercise |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task called the Lucky Picture Selection Game.
Measured: Cognitive flexibility will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2.
Symptom reactivity will be assessed using the Braga Obsessive Compulsive Symptom Image Set (BOCI).
Measured: Symptom reactivity will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2.
Exercise intensity will be measured using a PolarTech chest-strap HR monitor.
Exercise intensity will be measured as a function of maximum heart rate (70% Max HR for moderate intensity condition and 40-50% max heart rate for low intensity condition).
Measured: Exercise intensity will be measured during 7-10 days after baseline, during session 2.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Aug 2025
- Study start16 Feb 2026
- Primary completion1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Yale UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yale University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Thomas Adams, Principal investigator, Yale University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07103902
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2000040629
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 29 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Raw, de-indentified data.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms and Cognitive Flexibility
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07103902
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2000040629
- Conditions
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Keywords
- Anxiety Disorders, Mental Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Yale UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of exercise on cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does moderate intensity physical activity reduce subjective distress, compulsive urges, and intrusions- and increase cognitive flexibility- in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to low-intensity physical activity?
Researchers will compare low- to moderate-intensity exercise to see if moderate physical activity increases cognitive flexibility and reduces symptom reactivity in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Participants will:
Complete self-report surveys, psychiatric interviews, and cognitive tasks.
Be assigned to either a low- or moderate-intensity exercise condition and complete physical activity.
Repeat cognitive and symptom measures following the exercise intervention.
Detailed description
The proposed study aims to determine if moderate physical activity increases cognitive flexibility (aim 1) and reduces symptom reactivity (aim 2) in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will be asked to participate in this study, which consists of two visits in addition to a self-report survey between these two visits.
This study will randomize 50 adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for aims 1 and 2.
First, participants will complete a phone screen to determine preliminary eligibility. During Session 1, participants will be consented and complete the diagnostic interview for anxiety, mood, and obsessive-compulsive related disorders (DIAMOND), the baseline probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task, the symptom reactivity task, and self-report measures in-person. Between sessions 1 and 2, participants will be asked to complete several self-report measures via RedCap survey link.
Session 2 will take place 7-10 days following Session 1. Upon arrival to the lab, participants will be randomized (1:1) to a moderate-intensity physical activity or a low-intensity control condition. Randomization will be stratified based on sex and age to minimize demographic differences. Participants will be blind to allocation.
Individuals assigned to the moderate-intensity physical activity condition will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 70% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. In the low-intensity control condition, participants will cycle for 20 minutes at a 40-50% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. Participants will be instructed to maintain pedaling speed within ranges appropriate for each condition (e.g., 30-40 RPM for low-intensity) and research staff will adjust resistance level throughout the session to ensure that they stay within the target heart rate zones. Participants will be asked to rate their perceived exertion at five minute intervals throughout the session.
Following moderate- or low-intensity exercise, participants will complete follow-up administrations of cognitive flexibility and symptom reactivity tasks.
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using the computerized Lucky Picture Selection Game, a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task. Participants choose between three images to earn points for a monetary bonus, with one image being the "lucky picture." The task includes ~260 trials across low and high volatility blocks, reflecting reversal frequency.
Symptom reactivity will be assessed using the The Braga Obsessive Compulsive Symptom Image Set (BOCI), an open-source, validated task designed to provoke obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms across washing, checking, and symmetry symptom dimensions.
Exercise intensity will be measured as a function of maximum heart rate. A PolarTech chest-strap heart rate monitor will be used during the exercise/control conditions to maintain the target intensity level. Heart rate will be monitored continuously throughout the session.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate-Intensity Exercise | Experimental | Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Exercise |
| Low-Intensity Exercise | Other | Behavioral: Low-Intensity ExerciseControl |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 64 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Adults, age 18 to 64 years
- Meet diagnostic criteria for OCD (per the DIAMOND)
- Stable psychiatric or medication treatment (if ≥4-weeks), or if no active treatment. Psychotropic medications will be reviewed with the study psychiatrist on a case by case basis.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Active or unmanaged psychotic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorder, current substance use disorder (moderate-to-severe), or high risk for suicide (defined as attempt, plan, or intent within past 3 months)
- Documented motor impairments and medical condition(s) that prohibit physical exercise
- Those who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate-Intensity ExerciseParticipants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 70% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. | Behavioural | Moderate-Intensity Exercise |
| Low-Intensity ExerciseParticipants will engage in 20 minutes of cycling at approximately 40-50% max heart rate with a 2.5 minute warm up and a 2.5 minute cool down. | Behavioural | Low-Intensity Exercise |
Primary outcome
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task called the Lucky Picture Selection Game.
Time frame: Cognitive flexibility will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2.
Symptom reactivity will be assessed using the Braga Obsessive Compulsive Symptom Image Set (BOCI).
Time frame: Symptom reactivity will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2.
Exercise intensity will be measured using a PolarTech chest-strap HR monitor.
Time frame: Exercise intensity will be measured during 7-10 days after baseline, during session 2.
Exercise intensity will be measured as a function of maximum heart rate (70% Max HR for moderate intensity condition and 40-50% max heart rate for low intensity condition).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Raw, de-indentified data.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Thomas Adams principal investigator
Yale University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Moderate-Intensity Exercise and Low-Intensity Exercise in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Emily Weiss, PhD (203-858-1225, emily.weiss@yale.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cognitive flexibility will be assessed using a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task called the Lucky Picture Selection Game. (time frame: Cognitive flexibility will be initially measured on day 1. Follow-up administrations will be completed 7-10 days later after the exercise intervention during session 2.). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Sep 2026.