Acute Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Cardiovascular Reactivity During a Mental Stress Test in Teachers

October 27, 2026 updated by: Lucieli Teresa Cambri, Federal University of Mato Grosso

Acute Effect of Moderate-intensity Aerobic Exercise on Cardiovascular Reactivity During a Mental Stress Test in Teachers

This study will investigate the acute effect of a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on blood pressure responses to mental stress in teachers. Participants will complete two experimental sessions: a control session without exercise and a 30-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise session. The intensity of the aerobic exercise session will be set at 50-60% of the heart rate reserve. The order of the experimental sessions will be randomized. We will assess blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during a mental stress test performed before and 30 minutes after each session. The two sessions will be separated by 48-72 hours.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study will investigate the acute effects of a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise session on blood pressure responses to mental stress in teachers. Participants will complete two experimental sessions: a control session without exercise and a 30-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise session. The intensity of the aerobic exercise session will be set at 50-60% of the heart rate reserve. The order of the experimental sessions will be randomized. We will assess blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during a mental stress test performed before and 30 minutes after each session. The two sessions will be separated by 48-72 hours.

The mental stress test will consist of a computerized Stroop Color Test involving the colors green, red, blue, and yellow. Participants will be instructed to identify the color of the word rather than read the word itself. For example, if the word "green" is displayed in red, the correct response is "red." Each word will be displayed for one second. An auditory stimulus consisting of words that differ from both the written word and the displayed color will also be presented. The total duration of the mental stress test will be 4 minutes (Probst et al., 1997; Cavalcante, 2023).

Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR will be assessed at baseline and during the mental stress test (at 2 and 4 minutes) performed before and 30 minutes after each session.

Mental stress reactivity (Δ) will be calculated at 2 and 4 minutes as the value measured at each time point minus the corresponding pre-test baseline value (Δ2 = value at 2 minutes - baseline value; Δ4 = value at 4 minutes - baseline value). Peak Δ will be defined as the highest response observed at either 2 or 4 minutes (the maximum of Δ2 and Δ4). The change in blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and control conditions.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
25

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • Mato Grosso
      • Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, 78.060-581
        • Federal University of Mato Grosso

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Participants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Age between 18 and 65 years;
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 39.9 kg/m²;
  • Currently employed as a teacher;
  • At least 2 years of experience as a teacher;
  • Able to perform the proposed physical exercise interventions.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have a psychiatric disorder that could interfere with participation in the study;
  • Have a diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia;
  • Have musculoskeletal or osteoarticular conditions that prevent or contraindicate physical exercise;
  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding;
  • Are on leave of absence or vacation during the study period.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Sham Comparator: Control
Other: Control

Participants will undergo a control session without physical exercise. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the control session.
Experimental: Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise
Other: Acute Exercise

Participants will perform a 30-minute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise session at 50-60% of the heart rate reserve. Blood pressure and heart rate will be assessed at rest and during the Stroop Color Test, performed before and 30 minutes after the exercise session.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Systolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress
Time Frame: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Systolic blood pressure will be measured at rest and during the Stroop Color Test before and 30 minutes after each experimental session. Systolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in systolic blood pressure between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test.

The change in systolic blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and control conditions.
During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Post-exercise hypotension
Time Frame: At rest before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Post-exercise hypotension will be assessed by comparing systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured 30 minutes after each experimental session with the corresponding pre-exercise resting measurements.
At rest before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Diastolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress
Time Frame: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Diastolic blood pressure reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in diastolic blood pressure between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test. The change in diastolic blood pressure reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be compared between the session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and control conditions.
During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.
Heart rate reactivity to mental stress
Time Frame: During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Heart rate reactivity to mental stress will be calculated as the change (Δ) in heart rate between the resting measurement and the measurement obtained during the Stroop Color Test. The change in heart rate reactivity from before to 30 minutes after each experimental session will be comparedthe session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and control conditions.
During the mental stress test (0, 2 and 4 minutes), before and 30 minutes after each experimental session.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Federal University of Mato Grosso

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 3, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 97330026.5.0000.8124-ProtocolB

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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