The Effects of Propranolol and Hydrocortisone on Military-Relevant Performance Outcomes

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.

NCT Number	NCT06982183
Lead Sponsor	Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
Conditions	Fear of Spiders, Acute Stress Reaction
Enrollment	88 participants
Start Date	2025-05-27
Primary Completion	2026-09 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-09 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-13