The purpose of this study is to learn more about late-onset epilepsy of unknown etiology (LOEU), which is defined as an onset of seizure activity in late life (age 60 or above) without a clear neurological cause. That is, many older adults will experience seizures due to neurological conditions such as stroke, brain injury, tumor, or infection. However, other individuals will also develop seizures with no identified cause.

Participation entails a single study visit lasting 2-3 hours including a fasting blood draw, completion of standardized cognitive testing, and several questionnaires. The goals of the study include to examine blood markers that can help us to better understand the condition including dementia risk, and how these markers may impact the clinical presentation of the condition. No interventions/treatments are included with this study.

Quitting smoking is hard, and many Veterans struggle even with current treatments. This study is testing a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which is already FDA-approved to help people stop smoking. We're comparing two types—standard and personalized—to see which works better. We aim to find the best option to help Veterans quit for good.

The purpose of this research study is to learn how Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which targets a part of the brain called the subthalamic nucleus (STN), may affect thinking and memory in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). We plan to include about 55 people with PD who have already had DBS surgery at MUSC's Clinical DBS Program.

As part of the study, participants will attend two visits after their DBS surgery. The first visit, which will last about three hours, includes going over the study information and consent form, collecting background information (demographics), and completing tests that measure thinking and memory (cognitive assessments). The second visit, also about three hours, will involve an MRI scan to look at how the brain's networks change when the DBS device is turned on and off.

These findings may help doctors and researchers make better decisions about which patients are most likely to benefit from DBS surgery and how to choose the best stimulation settings to reduce unwanted changes in thinking and memory.

Adolescence is a time of development in the brain and microbiome, including the microbiome present in the mouth called the oral microbiome. Alcohol use often begins and escalates during adolescence, which can cause changes to the oral microbiome leading to changes in the brain. The alcohol specific changes to the oral microbiome and the brain may make adolescents more vulnerable to a lifelong struggle with alcohol use disorder. This study will collect (1) saliva to assess the composition of the oral microbiome and (2) brain measurements using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) across adolescents who may or may not use alcohol. Findings from this study will help form a more thorough understanding of the biological consequences of adolescent alcohol use, with the long-term goal of informing novel prevention and intervention efforts.

The aim of this study is to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to capture images of participants' brains and apply an image processing method called INSCAPE to assess brain states. This study will recruit participants who are scheduled to receive accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Participation in this study involves two visits, each including a 30-minute MRI scan. The interval between each visit is about one week. Depressed participants will also complete mood assessments at various intervals while they are receiving accelerated TMS for depression.

Hypermobile EDS and hypermobile spectrum disorder (collectively referred to as hEDS) are estimated to affect 1 in 500 individuals worldwide. This study will enroll hEDS patients to test a new ear stimulation system to help reduce symptoms associated with hEDS, including pain and GI problems. Ear stimulation will be applied twice daily, for four weeks at home, and we will collect electronic behavioral data to track progress.

As people get older, understanding speech in a noisy environment can become more difficult. The MUSC Hearing Research Program is seeking healthy adults between 25 and 89 years of age to participate in a research study to investigate the connection between listening difficulties and the brain. Payment is provided for participation and scheduling is flexible. The study involves two visits. Participants must be able to complete an MRI. Please contact us if you would like to participate in this research or learn more about our study.

For this study, we are recruiting 54 individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Freezing of Gait (FOG) who are planning to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The objective of this study is to better understand the FOG response to DBS. Prior to DBS study participants will undergo a MRI scan, behavioral assessment related to walking, a cognitive evaluation, and assessment of other Parkinson's disease symptoms. Following DBS participants will repeat these assessments at multiple timepoints over the period of one year. Overall, participants will complete a total of 7 visits over a period of approximately 1 year.

Smoking is one of the main public health problems. Smoking cessation is difficult because of nicotine dependence. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the frontal head has shown to be effective in the reduction of cigarette consumption and craving. In this study, we will evaluate the efficiency of a new form of rTMS called intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) for smoking cessation.

The goal of this study proposal is to develop a biorepository which will collect and store central nervous system (CNS) tissue, connective tissue, blood, or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) for future research. This material will be collected from children with CNS conditions or defects. This will be a very useful resource to scientists who work to develop new approaches to prevent and treat conditions that affect children's brains and nervous systems.