Healthy Clinical Trials in Baltimore, MD

Background: As people age, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin begin to release less of this hormone, and levels of blood glucose (sugar) rise. This can lead to illnesses such as diabetes. Urolithin A (UA) is a natural nutritional supplement that may improve how the body controls blood glucose. Objective: To learn if UA improves levels of insulin and other hormones that help control blood glucose. Eligibility: People aged 55 years and older with a body mass index of 27 or higher. Design: Participants will have 6 clinic visits over 8 weeks. Participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam with blood and urine tests and a test of their heart function. UA gelcaps are taken by mouth every morning at home. Half of participants will take UA. The other half will take a placebo. The placebo looks like the study drug but does not contain any medicine. Participants will not know which they are taking. Participants will have tests during the study including: Oral glucose tolerance: Participants will drink a sweet liquid. Blood will be drawn at intervals over the next 3 hours. Continuous glucose monitor: A sensor with a needle that goes just under the skin will be placed on the upper arm. Participants will wear this sensor throughout the study. Exercise. Participants will walk on a treadmill while their heart rate, hearth rhythm, and blood pressure are monitored. They will walk in a hallway at normal and fast paces. Imaging scans of the thigh; scans of the brain are optional.... Read Less

The purpose of this translational bench-to-bedside study is to examine the neurobiological effects of an evidence-based technology-delivered mindfulness training (MT) program on vaping-related rsFC alterations in hippocampal networks and testing whether changes in rsFC ((Delta)rsFC) in these networks predict reduction in tobacco vaping behaviors in adolescents. The study also aims to test the accessibility and feasibility of using this mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) platform as an implementation for widespread MT in adolescents.... Read Less

This open-label pilot psilocybin administration study investigates the influence of psilocybin on brain function and cognitive control functions in clinically and psychiatrically healthy volunteers. Participants will undergo experimental drug administration sessions after careful screening and preparation. Participants will also have brain activity measured using electroencephalogram (EEG) also during non-invasive brain stimulation using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Read Less

Background: - National Institute on Aging researchers are looking at studies that require large numbers of white blood cells for lab use. Standard blood samples do not provide enough white blood cells for these studies. Researchers want to use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells from volunteer donors. This procedure can collect larger amounts of white blood cells and reduce the amount of fluid and other cells that are lost. Objectives: - To use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells for study. Eligibility: - Healthy blood donors at least 18 years of age. Design: * Participants will be screened according to the usual blood donation procedures. * Participants will provide white blood cells through cytapheresis. The blood cells will be collected in a machine that separates the white blood cells from the rest of the blood. The rest of the blood will be returned to the donor. * Participants may have this type of donation every 56 days (six times per year). They will be asked to become a repeat donor. A donation schedule may be set up. * Once a year, participants will have blood tests to continue to be eligible as a donor. Read Less

This study will randomly assign 2,300 older adults on waiting lists at fourteen Meals on Wheels programs in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and California into two groups who will receive: (a) daily delivery of meals, five days a week or (b) a shipment of 10 frozen meals, every two weeks. Researchers will examine participants' Medicare claims to understand if differences in healthcare utilization occur between the two groups within six months after they start receiving meals. Researchers will also ask participants questions prior to receiving meals, and again at three months, to understand how meals impact their ability to obtain food, their feelings of loneliness, and their overall quality of life. The primary study outcome will be the ratio of days spent in institutional settings (i.e., hospital, nursing home) in the six months after participants begin receiving meals. The secondary outcomes include the ratio of days spent in institutional settings in the three months after participants begin receiving meals, food insecurity, subjective isolation/loneliness, and health-related quality of life. The team will also examine differences in dietary intake between the two groups as an exploratory outcome. Read Less

The influence of genes on addictive and neuropsychiatric disorders is complex, especially given that multiple genes likely influence certain behaviors that are correlated with addiction. Researchers are interested in looking at the genetic information of individuals who are enrolled on National Institute for Drug Abuse studies to investigate specific genetic variants that may be related to substance abuse. Researchers will study the effects of genes on several aspects of thinking such as attention, memory, decision making, problem solving, learning, and emotional feelings, and investigate the ways in which genetic information affects addictive behaviors and substance abuse. In addition, researchers will study how genes may explain differences in imaging data in substance users. Objectives: - To collect genetic information for research on genetic aspects of addiction and substance abuse. Eligibility: * Adults age 18 or older * (1) healthy, non-drug-using nonsmokers, * (2) healthy smokers, * (3) healthy individuals dependent on other commonly abused drugs, and * (4) individuals with other psychiatric disorders. * Participants must be enrolled in another National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program imaging protocol. Design: * This study involves one to two visits to National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program that may be separate from the participant's current research protocol study visits or on the same day as those visits. * Participants will provide a blood sample and complete questionnaires about mood, memory, and learning. * Participants may also be asked to do a few tasks, such as playing computer games involving coin tosses and money management, or responding to questions on a computer screen. Read Less

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is form of non-invasive brain stimulation. It is approved to treat depression. TMS may help decrease drug craving. It is important to understand how TMS affects the brain. Such a better understanding would help to design ways to treat drug addiction. Objectives: To learn how TMS affects the brain when it stimulates an area in the front of the brain. Also, to see how the stimulation affects the area stimulated and other connected areas. Eligibility: Healthy, right-handed adults ages 18-60 who are non-drug users. Design: Participants will be screened under protocol 06-DA-N415. Participants will have at least 3 visits. The first visit will last about 3 hours. All other visits will last up to 6 hours. Participants cannot use drugs or alcohol at least 24 hours before a visit. They cannot have more than half a cup of a caffeinated drink at least 12 hours before a visit. Each visit will include a brief medical history update, urine test for drugs and pregnancy (if female), a breath test for alcohol and smoking, and questionnaires. Participants will have a TMS orientation visit. A wire coil will be placed on the head. An electrical current will pass through the coil to create a magnetic pulse that stimulates the brain. The other visits will include 2 sessions of TMS-MRI. Participants will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder. The TMS coil and the MRI coil will be placed over the head. Pictures will be taken of the brain with and without stimulation. Participants will complete a questionnaire about how they feel before and after each TMS session and in a follow-up call 2-3 weeks after their last session. Read Less

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) has increased among adolescents over the past decade. Vaping raises many health concerns. People who vape inhale toxic chemicals. Vaping is also linked with mental health issues, such as depression and suicide risk. In one survey, 85% of young adults reported that they used both vaping and tobacco products; the primary reason they cited for using these products was stress. Objective: This natural history study will survey adolescents and their parents about their attitudes toward vaping. Eligibility: People aged 13 to 17, including those who vape; those who once vaped; and those who have never vaped. Parents of people aged 13 to 17 who are known or suspected of vaping are also needed. Design: Participants will take a survey. They will use their own smartphone, computer, or tablet to answer questions. The survey will take about 20 minutes. Their answers will be anonymous. Teenage participants will answer questions on different topics: Vaping habits, such as when and how they vape. Drug use, including nicotine, cannabis, and alcohol. Mood issues, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Social influences on vaping, including perceived attitudes of parents and peers. Other leisure habits, including online gaming and use of social media. Parents will answer similar questions. A phone number and links will be given to participants who need help for suicidal thoughts. Other links will be given to those who want help with parenting resources or aids to quit vaping. Participants may be invited to take part in an 8-week course on mindfulness-based stress reduction. Participants who finish the survey will receive $10. ... Read Less

Obesity and its metabolic complications are leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. Evidence is mounting that inappropriate timing of food intake contributes to obesity. Specifically, late eating is associated with greater weight gain and metabolic syndrome. However, the mechanism by which late eating harms metabolism is not fully understood but may be related to mis-timing of food intake in relation to the body's endogenous circadian rhythm. Conversely, harmonization of eating timing with endogenous circadian rhythm may optimize metabolic health. In this study the investigators will use gold-standard methods of characterizing circadian rhythm in humans to examine the metabolic impacts food timing relative to endogenous circadian rhythm. Read Less

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate drug-drug interaction (DDI) of orally administered mavorixafor with cytochrome P3A (CYP3A) inducers carbamazepine (a strong CYP3A inducer) or efavirenz (a moderate CYP3A inducer) in healthy male and female participants. Read Less

This study will evaluate an investigational drug called NNC4004-0002. "Investigational" means NNC4004-0002 has not been approved for sale/ for clinical use or for the use described in this study/ by any regulatory authority. Its use in this study is experimental. This will be the first time that NNC4004-0002 will be given to human. This study will be testing the ability of the study medicine to lower serum uric acid. The main aim of this study will be to see if the new study medicine is safe and tolerated by the body after a single dose of study medicine in adults with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Participants will either get NNC4004-0002 (the study medicine), or saline. Which treatment the participant get will be decided by chance. The participant will get the medicine as an injection under their skin. Depending on the dose they will receive, participant may need more than one injection. The study will last for about 19 months in total. The participant will take part in the study for about 7 months. Participant will have approximately 14 visits to the clinic and one of them will be a 4 night in-house stay. Read Less

Background: - Biomarkers are substances in people s blood and tissues. They help researchers understand diseases and signs of aging. Scientists want to do more research on biomarkers to find ways to improve quality of life in old age. Objective: - To learn more about biomarkers and their relationship to aging. Eligibility: - Adults at least 20 years old who weigh at least 110 pounds and have a body mass index below 30. They must agree that their genetic samples can be collected, studied, and stored. Design: * Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam, and blood and urine tests. They will have heart tests and nurse will assess their veins. They will fill out a questionnaire. * Participants will have a 2-day baseline visit. Then they will return every 2 years for up to 10 years. These follow-up visits will repeat the baseline visit: * Repeat of screening procedures. * Physical performance tests like balance and walking tests. * Leg and grip strength tests. * Health and mental state questions. * Memory and problem solving tests. * Cytapheresis. Blood will be removed through a needle in the vein of one arm and run through a machine. The blood will be returned through a needle in a vein of the other arm. * Visits may also include: * Magnetic resonance imaging scans. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of a machine that takes pictures. * Diabetes test. After fasting, participants will drink a sweet drink and give blood. * Breathing and walking tests. * Wearing a device that record physical activity. * Scan of the abdomen and the right leg. * A small amount of muscle tissue and/or skin removed. Read Less