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).
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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
80
Three hours of exposure therapy in a high place
Three hours of exposure therapy using a virtual reality system
50 mg of DCS administered 30 minutes before the session
West Virginia University School of Medicine Charleston Division
Charleston, West Virginia, United States
RECRUITINGSpecific Phobia (acrophobia) diagnosis based on Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-IV (ADIS-IV)
Time frame: One week post-treatment and 3 months folow-up
Physiological responses to phobia-related stimuli, percentage of steps completed and Subjective Units of Distress during a Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT)
Time frame: One week post-treatment and 3 months follow-up
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50 mg placebo administered 30 minutes before the session