Healthy Clinical Trials

The purposes of this research study is to: 1. Develop a technique of transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation (tFUS) where meaningful effects on the brain can be easily measured. 2. Use this technique to measure threshold for effective tFUS in individuals. 3. Determine whether disruption of conscious visual detection, versus non-conscious visually-guided behavior have different thresholds for disruption with tFUS. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and optimize ultrasound and/or MRI hardware and software in both existing ultrasound/MRI units as well as in newly installed commercially available ultrasound/MRI units. The study also serves to familiarize the ultrasound/MRI technician staff with how to operate newly installed software sequences or hardware. The information obtained from this study will be utilized to optimize new software sequences and hardware that have been installed on the UMU ultrasound/MRI scanners. This will offer ultrasound/MRI technologists ample time to become familiar with the operation of new equipment. More specifically, the objectives of this study are to maximize contrast to noise (CNR) and signal to noise (SNR) ratios for new imaging sequences and hardware to obtain high quality images, maximize the potential of new machines and associated software/hardware to obtain the highest quality of images, and obtain the highest quality images in reasonable scan time to minimize patient motion. Read Less

The core objective of this study is to enhance the translational potential of this electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarker by using ketamine(KET)-induced gamma potentiation as a prognostic marker of 4-week treatment outcome. Previous research focused exclusively on KET-induced gamma band potentiation (GBP) in the context of a single infusion. Our study design captures the clinical variation associated with real-world treatment resistant depression (TRD) patients and allows us to analyze the relative importance of GBP to antidepressant symptom reduction across the induction phase of treatment. If successful, it provides a compelling rationale for a larger prospective investigation of gamma dynamics as a moderator of outcome to varied TRD therapies which impact the balance of cortical excitation and inhibition. Read Less

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a pervasive disorder affecting up to one-fifth of adults globally and is the single greatest cause of disability worldwide. Despite the high prevalence and detrimental impact of CLBP, its treatments and mechanisms remain largely unclear. Biomarkers that predict symptom progression in CLBP support precision-based treatments and ultimately aid in reducing suffering. Longitudinal brain-based resting-state neuroimaging of patients with CLBP has revealed neural networks that predict pain chronification and its symptom progression. Although early findings suggest that measurements of brain networks can lead to the development of prognostic biomarkers, the predictive ability of these models is strongest for short-term follow-up. Measurements of different neural systems may provide additional benefits with better predictive power. Emotional and cognitive dysfunction is common in CLBP, occurring at the behavioral and cerebral level, presenting a unique opportunity to detect prognostic brain-based biomarkers. Likewise, improvements in electroencephalogram (EEG) neuroimaging strategies have led to increased spatial resolution, enabling researchers to overcome the limitations of classically used neuroimaging modalities (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging \[MRI\] and functional MRI), such as high cost and limited accessibility. Using longitudinal EEG, this patient-oriented research project will provide a comprehensive neural picture of emotional, cognitive, and resting-state networks in patients with CLBP, which will aid in predicting symptom progression in CLBP. Through this award, the investigators will use modern EEG source analysis strategies to track biomarkers at baseline and 1- and 2-month follow-ups and their covariance with markers for pain and emotional and cognitive dysfunction. A 5-month follow up will also be used to only assess patient reported outcomes. In Aim 1, the investigators will identify and characterize differences in resting-state, emotional, and cognitive networks between patients with CLPB and age/sex-matched controls. In Aim 2, the investigators will identify within-subject changes across time and their relationship with clinical symptoms. In Aim 3, as an exploratory aim, the investigators will apply machine- and deep-learning strategies to detect a comprehensive signature of CLBP using EEG features from resting-state, emotional, and cognitive networks. Read Less

The purpose of this research is to compare sympathetic function (flight or fight system) and arterial health including structure and mechanics of participants with history of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) to age and sex matched control participants. Read Less

This study is being done to better understand how amino acids alter the release of glucagon and insulin compared to glucose alone in health and disease. Read Less

The goal of this study is to understand what people understand from medical illustrations, and what meaning and emotions (such as anxiety) they derive from different design elements. Read Less

This study plans to learn more about metabolic responses to aerobic exercise at different times of the day (morning or evening) under fasting versus fed conditions. Read Less

This study is a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 1 study in two parts: single ascending doses and food effect (Part 1) and multiple ascending doses (Part 2). Read Less

The goal of this controlled feeding trial is to learn about the metabolism of polyphenols, a common class of compounds found in plant-based foods, by the gut microbiome. It will evaluate how differences in gut bacteria across individuals influence metabolism of polyphenols from foods, which may influence health benefits that people receive from different foods. Read Less

Humans are constantly exposed to a variety of light types, created naturally or through artificial means. Light exposure captured by the eyes impacts many physiological functions in humans, including but not limited to cognitive output, fatigue levels, and mood regulation. The level of impact on cognitive learning from different types of light on undergraduate adult students remains unclear. Read Less

The goal of this interventional study is to learn if wearing an external nasal dilator strip while sleeping changes objective and perceived sleep quality, immediate post-waking blood pressure, and immediate-post waking heart rate variability. Read Less