Clinical trial NCT06808490: Exercise and Endocannabinoids for Brain and Mental Health
Official title: Exercise and Endocannabinoids for Brain and Mental Health
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Children
Adolescents
Keywords: Exercise
Endocannabinoid
Anxiety
Meditation
Stretching
Lead sponsor: Wayne State University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-02-05
Enrollment: 68
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 9
Maximum age (years): 17
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: This study will explore how exercise affects brain chemicals called endocannabinoids, which may improve thinking skills and reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and low mood in children and teens aged 9 to 17. Participants will take part in a single 30-minute activity session, where they will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:

1. Moderate-intensity exercise (walking or running on a treadmill at 50-70% of their maximum heart rate).
2. Light stretching (gentle movements at less than 40% of their maximum heart rate).
3. Seated meditation (relaxing without movement at less than 30% of their maximum heart rate).

The investigators will measure endocannabinoid levels, thinking skills, and mood before and after the activity to see how these activities affect the brain and emotions.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
* Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and available for the duration of the study
* 9-17 years of age
* Adolescent and parent/guardian are English-speaking, as study assessments are in English
* Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

* Head injury
* Sensory (e.g., hearing) impairment
* Physical (e.g., motor, balance) impairment
* Physical disabilities
* Neurological disorders
* Any condition that would contraindicate blood draws

Primary outcomes:
measure: Endocannabinoid (eCB) Concentrations
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Cognitive performance (Dimensional Change Card Sort Test)
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Cognitive performance (Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test)
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Cognitive performance (Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test)
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Cognitive performance (Picture Sequence Memory Test)
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Anxiety symptoms
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Affect
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
measure: Mood state
timeFrame: Within 30 minutes before and after exercise or control conditions
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Detroit
country: United States
facility: Tolan Park Medical Building
state: Michigan
Study officials:
affiliation: Wayne State University
name: Hilary Marusak
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Wayne State University
name: Jeanne Barcelona
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: