Changes in Brain Activity (Functional MRI Study) Before and After Behavioral Therapy of Height Phobia

New York State Psychiatric Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Fear of Heights; Height Phobia

Treatments: Behavioral: Behavior therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00302978

5215

Details and patient eligibility

About

We are interested in investigating the functional brain abnormalities of height phobia. Subjects will be have a functional MRI scan before and after a course of treatment with behavioral therapy.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of in vivo exposure therapy on the functional brain activity of subjects with height phobia using a fear provocation paradigm. We expect differential activation of the fear circuitry in height phobics compared to non-phobic controls, and that successful behavioral therapy will normalize the heightened fear response in height phobia.

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Specific phobia of Heights

Exclusion criteria

• History of medical problems

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)