Examining the Effect of Mental Health Disorders on Vascular Function and Exercise Tolerance
Condition: Mental Health Disorders
MeSH terms: Mental Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Specific Aim #1: Examining the impact of mental health disorders (PTSD and GAD) on peripheral
      vascular function and sympathetic nervous system activity in young individuals.

      Specific Aim #2: Examining the impact of mental health disorders (PTSD and GAD) on peripheral
      hemodynamics and metabolic byproducts during small muscle mass exercise in young individuals.

      Specific Aim #3: Examining the impact of mental health disorders (PTSD and GAD) on exercise
      tolerance, peripheral hemodynamics and metabolic byproducts during large muscle mass exercise
      in young individuals.
    

Detailed description: 
      Mental health disorders are highly prevalent and underdiagnosed and can cause perturbations
      in cardiovascular and metabolic function leading to substantial individual burden (increased
      health care cost, loss of work productivity). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
      generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), two common mental health disorders, can cause increase
      cardiovascular disease risk due to chronic increases or fluctuations in heart rate, blood
      pressure, stress hormones, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder
      (PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric condition characterized by a persistent maladaptive
      reaction resulting from exposure to severe psychological stress. It has been revealed that
      individuals with PTSD, in addition to adverse mental health symptoms, also possess higher
      prevalence rates for physical comorbidities such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and
      metabolic syndrome. Taken together, these PTSD-induced comorbidities result in a significant
      increase in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) when compared to
      individuals without PTSD. Anxiety disorders, the most prevalent mental health issue in the
      United States, is associated an increased incidence of hypertension and heart disease. This
      increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is thought to derive from an overactivation of
      the sympathetic nervous system that results in a predominately pro-oxidant, pro-inflammatory
      cardiovascular environment. Peripheral vascular dysfunction, or the inability of the blood
      vessels to adequately respond to specific stimuli, is a factor closely related to CVD.
      Therefore, this study will focus on a younger population with PTSD or GAD in an attempt to
      ascertain the presence of peripheral vascular dysfunction and the magnitude to which two
      potential primary contributors (autonomic dysfunction, oxidative stress) are involved in this
      dysfunction.
    

Intervention name(s): PTSD/GAD Antioxidant; PTSD/GAD Placebo; Healthy Control Antioxidant; Healthy Control Placebo
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): Subjects will ingest an antioxidant cocktail containing 800 milligrams of alpha lipoic acid, 1 gram of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and 400 milligrams of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol).; Subjects will ingest placebo (microcrystalline cellulose) pills.; Subjects will ingest an antioxidant cocktail containing 800 milligrams of alpha lipoic acid, 1 gram of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and 400 milligrams of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol).; Subjects will ingest placebo (microcrystalline cellulose) pills.
Intervention MeSH terms: Antioxidants
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: cardiovascular disease; vascular function; PTSD; GAD