Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
This clinical trial aims to evaluate the nature and duration of effects of three FDA-approved medications (propranolol and hydrocortisone) on military-relevant cognitive, emotional, and motor performance following an exposure to a stressful situation (i.e., exposure to a tarantula) in physically healthy adult volunteers (aged 18 - 40) with fear of spiders to help the future development of medications for treating Acute Stress Reactions. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Will placebo treatment (oral placebo) result in significant decrements in Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) performance compared to propranolol treatment? Will placebo treatment \[intramuscular (IM) placebo\] result in significant decrements in PVT performance compared to hydrocortisone treatment? Participants will receive one of five study medications (oral propranolol, oral placebo, IM hydrocortisone, or IM placebo) after a brief exposure to a tarantula. Participants will complete cognitive and simple motor tasks and psychological assessments before and after the study medication administration.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male and non-pregnant, non-lactating females 18 to 40 (inclusive) years of age. * Females of child-bearing potential must be on some form of birth control, if sexually active (e.g., oral contraceptive, condom, intrauterine device, etc.) * Score of 80% or greater on a "Volunteer Comprehension Assessment" test. * Score equal to or greater than 54 on the Fear of Spiders Questionnaire. * Body weight between 91 and 250 pounds (inclusive). * Live close enough to be able to commute to Walter Reed Army Institute of Research during the study participation. Exclusion Criteria: *…
An administration of a 40-mg propranolol capsule immediately after tarantula exposure
An intramuscular administration of 62.5 mg/1 ml of hydrocortisone immediately after tarantula exposure
An administration of a placebo capsule after tarantula exposure
An intramuscular administration of 1 ml of saline immediately after tarantula exposure