Healthy Paid Clinical Trials in Maryland

The purpose of this protocol is to allow for the careful screening of patients and healthy volunteers for participation in research protocols in the Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Lab (ETPB) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and for the collection of natural history data. In addition the protocol will allow clinicians to gain more experience in the use of a variety of polysomnographic and high-density EEG recordings. Subjects in this protocol will undergo an evaluation which may include: a psychiatric interview; a diagnostic interview; rating scales; a medical history; a physical exam; brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); electroencephalography (EEG); electrocardiography (EKG), magnetoencephalography (MEG); blood, saliva and urine laboratory evaluation; and a request for medical records. Subjects may also be asked to complete questionnaires about attitudes towards research and motivation for research participation. The data collected may also be linked with data from other mood and anxiety disorder protocols (e.g., brain imaging, DNA, psychophysiology tests, treatment studies, etc) for the purposes of better understanding the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment response of patients with mood disorders. Parents of minors will be interviewed. Upon conclusion of the screening process, subjects will either be offered participation in a research protocol and will sign the appropriate informed consent, or will be considered not appropriate for participation in research and will be referred back into the community. The current protocol thus serves as an entry point for individuals with mood or anxiety disorders or healthy volunteers to enter NIMH IRB approved ETPB protocols. Read Less

Objective: In this study we will develop and apply imaging techniques to perform the first three-dimensional (3-D) measurements of brain biomechanics during mild head movement in healthy human subjects. Biomechanics is the application of mechanics, or the physical principles in action when force is applied to an object, to the anatomical structure and/or function of organisms. Such techniques will be invaluable for building computational models of brain biomechanics, understanding variability of brain biomechanics across individual characteristics, such as age and sex, and determining brain sub-structures at risk for damage when movement of the head is accelerated, such as during a traumatic event. Study Population: Measurements will be performed on 90 healthy men and women aged 18-65. Design: We will build upon the model pioneered by our collaborator, Dr. Philip Bayly. The model places a human subject in a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner with one of two head support units that allows a specific range of motion. Each head support is latched such that it can be released by the subject, and results in either a rotation of the head of approximately 30 degrees or a flexion-extension of the head of approximately 4 degrees. Although both supports are weighted so that the motion is repeatable if the subject is relaxed, the subject can easily counteract the weight. The resulting acceleration/deceleration is small (in the range of normal activities, such as turning one's head during swimming) and has been validated and used in other human investigations of brain biomechanics. The subject repeats the motion multiple times during the MR scan under their own volition and desired pace to measure motion of the head and brain. Outcome measures: This project is a pilot study evaluating the potential of extracting three-dimensional estimates of brain deformation, such as strain measurements, using MR imaging. A primary outcome of this project will be a fast MR acquisition sequence for measuring 3-D brain deformation. The sequence will be evaluated by applying the protocol to human subjects, followed by preliminary quantification of the reproducibility and stability of deformation measurements. Read Less

Background: Proteins are essential to the health and structure of the cells that make up body tissues. Most proteins become damaged over time and are replaced with new ones. This process is called "protein turnover." Stress, disease, and aging can affect this process. Researchers want to better understand how aging affects protein turnover. Objective: To measure rates of protein turnover in healthy adults. Eligibility: Healthy people aged 20 years and older with a body mass index between 20 and 30. Design: Participants will have 6 study visits over 4 to 6 weeks. They will fast 12 hours before each visit. Participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam, with blood and urine tests and tests of their heart function. They will lie down while blood pressure cuffs are used on their arms and legs. Participants will be given bottles of heavy water to drink at home on a schedule for 21 days. Each bottle holds about 3.5 tablespoons. Heavy water is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, like normal drinking water. It is safe to drink and has been used in research for many years. Participants will have tests during study visits, including: Imaging scans of a leg. Exercise on a treadmill. Biopsies of muscle, skin, and fat: Small samples of tissue will be cut from the calf and abdomen. Resting metabolic rate: Participants will lie still and breathe into a mask for 20 minutes. Knee/grip strength: Participants will do strength tests with their legs. They will squeeze a device with their hands. D3-Creatine: Participants will take 1 pill of D3-Creatine, which occurs naturally in muscle. Read Less

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 Hematology Branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is doing a variety of laboratory research experiments that require blood and tissue samples from healthy volunteers. This protocol provides a mechanism for collecting these tissue samples. Research includes studies of normal and abnormal formation of blood cells, viral blood diseases, the role of the immune system in marrow failure and genetic risk factors for aplastic anemia. Healthy normal volunteers 8 years of age and older may be eligible for this study. Samples are collected as follows: Blood samples: Participants 8 years of age and older donate up to 4 tablespoons of blood, which is obtained from a needle placed in an arm vein. Participants 8 years of age and older donate a buccal mucosa sample (cells from the inside of the cheek). The inside of the cheek is scraped gently with a nylon brush. Participants 18 years of age and older donate a bone marrow sample. The bone marrow is obtained from the hip bone. The skin over the area is wiped clean with alcohol and iodine, and then a local anesthetic is injected under the skin and also into the bone. When the area is numb, a bone marrow aspiration needle is introduced through the bone surface into the marrow. The marrow cells are collected using a syringe connected to the needle. 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: During the first few decades of life, the brain changes dramatically in shape and function. Sleep lets researchers measure these changes. Researchers want to create a database of sleep and neurodevelopmental data in a group of infants and children to learn more. Objective: To address a knowledge and data gap in the field of sleep and neurodevelopment in infants and children. Eligibility: Children ages 6 months to 76 months who may or may not be at risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Also, children ages 6 months to 8 years who have a referral for a sleep study. Design: Participants will have neurodevelopmental testing. They will have a medical, psychiatric, and family history. They will have a physical and neurological exam. They will be interviewed and complete surveys. They will give a cheek swab and/or blood sample. Some participants will have 1 study visit that lasts 2 days. Other participants will have up to 4 study visits. Each visit will last 2 days. Visits occur every 8 months to 1 year, for a total participation time of 2 years. Participants will have a 20-minute daytime electroencephalogram (EEG), if possible. This EEG session will be used to calibrate the machine for the overnight study. Participants will take part in an inpatient overnight sleep study. Electrodes will be placed on the participants. For young children, parents will help place the EEG leads. Other sensors may also be placed. A gauze cap will be placed on participants head to protect the leads and keep the participants from moving them. 'Lights out' will occur as close to participants bedtime as possible. ... Read Less

The etiology of pulmonary fibrosis is unknown. Analyses of blood, genomic DNA, and specimens procured by bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, lung transplantation, clinically-indicated extra-pulmonary biopsies, or post-mortem examination from individuals with this disorder may contribute to our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis. The purpose of this protocol is to procure and analyze blood, genomic DNA, and specimens by bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, lung transplantation, extra-pulmonary biopsies, or post-mortem examination from subjects with pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, blood, genomic DNA, clinically-indicated extra-pulmonary biopsies, as well as bronchoscopy and post-mortem examination specimens may be procured and analyzed from relatives of subjects with hereditary forms of pulmonary fibrosis; blood, genomic DNA, and bronchoscopy specimens may be procured from healthy research volunteers.... Read Less

Background: - Salivary glands in and around the mouth and throat make saliva. Salivary gland disorders can affect a person s quality of life. Studying people who have a disease that affects their salivary gland(s) may teach researchers about the disorders and their genetics. Objectives: - To study salivary gland diseases and disorders. To collect data and samples from people with salivary gland problems and their relatives. Eligibility: People more than 4 years old who have or are suspected to have a disease involving salivary glands. Their relatives more than 4 years old. Healthy volunteers 18 years or older. Design: Participants may be screened with: Medical history Physical exam Blood and urine tests General oral and dental history and exam Saliva collection Eye exam and test for dry eyes Health questionnaires (adults) Biopsy of some minor salivary glands. A small incision will be made on the inside of the lower lip and several tiny salivary glands will be removed. Participants will have 2 3 visits. These may include: Repeats of some screening tests Ultrasounds of some glands. Researchers will put some gel on the face, then press on it with a smooth wand. Adults may have other biopsies A small catheter inserted into the opening of the parotid gland duct on the inside of the cheek. A saline solution (in a syringe) will fill the duct. Swishing a saltwater solution in the mouth for 10 seconds and then spitting into a cup Scrapings collected from teeth, tongue, and cheeks Read Less

This study will collect blood plasma and white blood cells from individuals using a procedure called apheresis. Apheresis is a method of collecting larger quantities of certain blood components that can safely be collected through a simple blood draw. The blood components will be used in laboratory research studies. Patients 18 years of age and older who are currently enrolled in a NIH clinical research protocol may participate in this study. Relatives of patients and normal healthy volunteers will also be enrolled. Individuals will undergo one of the following two apheresis procedures: Automated pheresis Blood is drawn through a needle placed in an arm vein and circulated through a cell separator machine. The plasma (liquid part of the blood) and white cells are extracted, and the red cells are re-infused into the donor through the same needle or a needle in the other arm. An anticoagulant (medication to prevent blood from clotting) is usually added to the blood while in the machine to prevent it from clotting during processing. Manual pheresis One unit (1 pint) of blood is drawn through a needle placed in an arm vein, similar to donating a pint of whole blood. The red blood cells, with or without plasma, are separated from the rest of the blood and returned to the donor through the same needle. Manual pheresis will be done only when a person s estimated total blood volume or red cell count is too low to safely permit removal of blood through a pheresis machine. An adult small in size or markedly anemic, for example, may fall into this category. Some of the blood collected through apheresis may be stored for future studies of HIV disease and immune function and for HLA testing, a genetic test of markers of the immune system. Some of the blood may be used to screen for different types of viral liver infections, such as hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F, or G. ... Read Less

Background: - Studies show that many factors affect children s eating behavior and health. These include sleep, mood, thinking skills, and genetics. Studying children over time may identify children at higher risk for eating-related health concerns. Objective: - To understand how genes and environment influence eating behavior and health over time. Eligibility: - Children ages 8 17 in good general health. Design: Screening visit 1: Medical history, physical exam, body measurements, and questions. 14 days: Participants will wear a wrist monitor and answer smartphone prompts about eating and mood. They may give a stool sample. Screening visit 2: Body measurements. Saliva, urine, and blood samples. Heart tests. Meals provided (after fasting overnight). Questionnaires and interview. Behavior, thinking, and exercise tests. X-ray of left wrist and full body.<TAB> Some parents may have medical history, physical exam, and questions at screening visits. They may answer questions at the yearly visits. Participants will have up to 6 yearly visits. They will give a urine sample and body measurements, and repeat the X-rays. They will have questions and behavior and thinking tasks. They may give stool samples. Visits will range from 3 to 8 hours. Participants may choose to participate in other studies: Stress and Hormones, 1 visit: While resting, participants will give saliva samples and have their heart monitored. Then they will do math. They will repeat the resting part, then do a computer task. Brain Imaging, 2 visits: Twice, participants will perform tasks with a magnetic cone on their head then answer questions. Once, they will have an MRI, lying still in a scanner with a coil on their head. Sleep, 2 visits: Participants will have food provided, answer questions and do tasks. Participants will be compensated for the time and inconvenience involved with completing study procedures. Read Less

Increased numbers of white blood cells called eosinophils can cause disease. To investigate this disease, researchers need blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, skin and/or bone marrow samples to compare to samples from patients with this problem. Some of the samples will be used for genetic testing or future research. This study will last for about 10 years and will include a maximum of 50 paid volunteers ages 18 to 65. Read Less