Exercise may ease OCD symptoms in minutes, small trial hopes to prove
NCT ID NCT07103902
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study from Yale University will test whether 20 minutes of moderate cycling can reduce obsessive thoughts, compulsive urges, and improve thinking flexibility in adults with OCD. Fifty participants will be randomly assigned to either moderate or low-intensity cycling. Researchers will measure symptoms and cognitive performance before and after exercise to see if moderate intensity offers extra benefits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- aerobic exercise (cycling)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to temporarily ease OCD symptoms and improve mental flexibility.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 50 people, looking at short-term effects. The results may not apply to everyone with OCD, and exercise might not help all symptoms.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2026
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 64 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults, age 18 to 64 years * Meet diagnostic criteria for OCD (per the DIAMOND) * Stable psychiatric or medication treatment (if ≥4-weeks), or if no active treatment. Psychotropic medications will be reviewed with the study psychiatrist on a case by case basis. Exclusion Criteria: * Active or unmanaged psychotic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorder, current substance use disorder (moderate-to-severe), or high risk for suicide (defined as attempt, plan, or intent within past 3 months) * Documented motor impairments and medical condition(s) that prohibit physical exercise * Those who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
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Get notified about this study
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Temple Medical Center
RECRUITINGNew Haven, Connecticut, 06511, United States
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