Stress clinical trials at UCSF
10 in progress, 6 open to eligible people
Stress is the body's response to any demand or threat. UCSF is investigating how nature walks might ease stress in various ethnic groups. Another study focuses on improving sleep for veterans with PTSD. UCSF is also working on mobile health solutions to support stressed parents.
Biological and Behavioral Outcomes of Community Nature Walks
open to eligible people ages 18 years and up
The investigators will test the efficacy of our proposed intervention to reduce embodied stress in four racial/ethnic groups (Black, Latinx, Pilipinx, and Pacific Islander) as a preventative intervention for health disparities found in these communities. The intervention is comprised of two phases. The first consists of community nature walks in a pristine redwood forest for six months. This is followed by chosen nature activities with family and/or friends for three months. The investigators will test the ability of these activities in nature to reduce chronic stress that underpins many health disparities using validated biological, behavioral, and sociocultural measures. The use of these measures is in alignment with the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Framework, and will increase understanding of individual, interpersonal, community, and social level factors that lead to, and that can eliminate health disparities.
San Francisco, California
Brief Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia in Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
open to eligible people ages 18-75
This study will investigate treatments for insomnia in Veterans who have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study is to compare a brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) to a treatment that helps promote relaxation (progressive muscle relaxation training or PMRT). The investigators will examine improvements in psychosocial functioning and insomnia severity. The investigators will also examine whether treatment gains last over time and whether suicidal ideation decreases following insomnia treatment.
San Francisco, California
Parenting Stress mHealth
open to eligible people ages 12 years and up
Parenting stress is a well-documented barrier to youth engagement in community-based substance use treatment. The current project aims to develop and evaluate a mobile health parenting stress intervention for caregivers of justice-involved youth, a population with high rates of substance use and low rates of treatment engagement.
San Francisco, California
Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonist in the Treatment of Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Seven Study)
open to eligible people ages 18-69
The purpose of this study is to test the drug CORT108297, which blocks the hormone cortisol, for treatment of PTSD in Veterans, and establish a safety profile that will inform the design of future studies.
San Francisco, California and other locations
Modification of Attention Bias Remotely After Trauma
open to eligible people ages 18-65
The investigators will complete an entirely remote randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing 14 sessions of attention bias modification (ABM), attention control training (ACT), placebo neutral attention training, and a final control condition with daily questions in 1,897 individuals with clinically significant Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) (defined as PCL-5 score ≥ 33). To assess effects of the training and control conditions, the investigators will administer tests of threat-related attention bias and variability, and self-report assessments of PTSS, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress at baseline, after one and two weeks of training, and at eight-week follow up. The investigators plan to screen and confirm interest from over 3,000 eligible participants over a period of 24 months to enroll and randomize 1,897 participants with the end goal of 1,232 completers (176 per condition).
San Francisco, California
Suvorexant: A Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonist for Treating Sleep Disturbance in Posttraumatic Stress
open to eligible people ages 18-75
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common consequence of combat that can result in trauma-related hyperarousal and sleep disturbances. Poor sleep, one of the most common complaints in Veterans with PTSD, can be distressing, impair concentration and memory, and contribute to physical health conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. The orexin neuropeptide system underlies both sleep and stress reactivity. Suvorexant, a drug that reduces orexin, improves sleep in civilians, but has not yet been tested in Veterans with PTSD. This study will test whether suvorexant can improve sleep disturbances and PTSD symptoms in Veterans. Suvorexant may benefit Veterans by improving sleep quickly while also reducing PTSD symptoms over the long term, and with fewer side effects that were common in previous medications used to treat these conditions. Improving Veterans' sleep and PTSD symptoms could lead to better emotional and physical well-being, quality of life, relationships, and functioning.
San Francisco, California and other locations
Doxazosin for Nightmares, Sleep Disturbance, and Non-Nightmare Clinical Symptoms in PTSD
Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of doxazosin will assess doxazosin's effectiveness for PTSD nightmares, subjective sleep quality, and non-nightmare PTSD symptoms in adult men and women veterans with full and partial-syndromal PTSD.
San Francisco, California
Transdiagnostic Sleep Health Intervention for Veterans With PTSD
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
Sleep disturbance is a major problem in Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study will test a version of a sleep treatment that's been shown to be effective in the general population, with some changes to tailor it to the needs of Veterans with PTSD and sleep disturbance.
San Francisco, California
Healthcare Worker Resilience as Measured by Physiologic Feedback
Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients
Reliably achieving peak performance requires balancing the strain of the prior day with sufficient recovery to be ready for the next day. Surgery has a long standing tradition long hours of hard work often at the expense of adequate sleep. Decreased sleep and recovery has physiologic consequences which can be measured using biometric data. The goal of this study is to quantify surgeon performance and biometric data to understand how modifiable behaviors including mindfulness training and diet can maximize recovery and performance. The goal of this study is to quantify the impact if modifiable daily behaviors including sleep, nutrition, in order to understand the factors that contribute to high level performance, burnout, and physician wellbeing in surgical trainees and attendings.
Stanford, California
Inflammatory Challenge and Fear
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
The goal of this study is to learn if short-term changes in the immune system alter how we process information and experience fear. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do people who receive typhoid vaccine respond differently than those who receive a placebo saline vaccine? Do people who receive typhoid vaccine experience changes in how they think and feel? Participants will: Attend four appointments at the San Francisco VA Health Care System; Receive typhoid vaccine or placebo at one of the visits; Have their physiological responding measured while listening to sounds; Complete questionnaires and psychological tests.
San Francisco, California
Our lead scientists for Stress research studies include Thomas C. Neylan, MD Johanna B Folk, PhD Anne Richards, MD, MPH Sabra S Inslicht, PhD Joshua Woolley, MD, PhD Joaquin Anguera, PhD Shira Maguen, PhD.
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