This study is testing citicoline as a possible medication to treat alcohol use disorder. Youth (ages 16-22) will be randomly assigned to receive either citicoline (2000mg per day) and or a placebo for four weeks.
All participants will receive brief counseling from a trained clinician and will undergo a brain scan and cognitive testing at the beginning and end of the treatment.
Participants must provide informed consent and youth under 18 must have parental consent to participate. The full study will last approximately one month.
Compensation is available to those who qualify.
Alcohol misuse is a risk factor for early onset cognitive impairment, contributing to 10% of early onset dementia, with risk corresponding to consumption. Additionally, continued drinking risks worsening cognitive decline and dementia progression, while worsening cognitive impairment contributes to drinking escalation. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to improve cognition in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dimentias (ADRD) and separately reduce heavy drinking in alcohol use disorder. Our objective is to optimize rTMS for simultaneous mitigation of both drinking and cognitive dysfunction in older adults.
The purpose of this study is to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to take images of a participant's brain, and then apply an investigational way of processing the image, called Individualized Network-based Single-frame Coactivation Pattern Estimation ("INSCAPE") to measure participant's brain activity. This method uses a computer program to understand which parts of the brain communicate with each other and creates a map of the brain areas that are connected.
Participants being recruited in this study will include people planning to receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ("TMS") for Major Depressive Disorder ("MDD"). Healthy participants are also being recruited. Images taken of depressed participants' brains will be compared to images of non-depressed participants' brains. Participation in this study will require three visits in which you will undergo MRI scans. The interval between each visits is about 3 weeks. Depressed participants will also complete mood assessments at several different intervals while they are receiving TMS for depression.
During each visit, MRI scans will require about 30 minutes of time in total. During the MRI scan, participants will need to stay still, relax, and keep eyes open in the scanner.
The goal of this study is to demonstrate that Photon Counting CT (PC-CT) creates similar or better-quality pictures of the body compared to CT systems we currently use in the clinic. The department of Radiology will be conducting this study using the new PC-CT system at MUSC for imaging of the head, neck, and blood vessels. Participants in this study will receive their normally ordered imaging scan as well as an additional imaging scan on the PC-CT machine. This second scan will take place within a month following the first normally ordered imaging study. This additional scan will be the only extra visit for this research study. Risks are the same as a typical CT scan which can include radiation dose, IV dye allergies, risks from IV, and potential loss of confidentiality.
This study will examine how marijuana use can affect oral bacteria and brain health in people with HIV and without HIV. Early studies show that marijuana users have more oral bacteria than non-marijuana users. The increase in bacteria is believed to affect brain health. Participation in the study will be one visit. The visit will take approximately 120 minutes.
The objective of this research study is to identify brain biomarkers using MRI scans that can predict an individual's response to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). A total of 55 participants with Parkinson's Disease planning to undergo DBS will be recruited from MUSC's Clinical DBS Program. Participants will undergo two visits which include a 2.5-hour pre-DBS questionnaire and MRI scanning visit, and a 3.5-hour post-DBS cognitive assessment visit. In addition control participants without Parkinson's Disease will be recruited to undergo MRI scanning and cognitive assessments.
Newborns who are born premature or suffer brain injury at birth are at risk for motor problems that may cause weakness in reaching and grasping on one side of the body. In older children, therapists may use a hand mitt and restraint for the stronger arm, to encourage use of the weaker side, called constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). Even with the high intensity therapy of CIMT, it typically takes between 40-120 hours total treatment time for most children to improve their motor skills. A non-invasive form of nerve stimulation, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), stimulates a nerve by the ear that enhances learning motor skills. taVNS stimulation will be triggered by EMG sensors which detect muscle activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of taVNS to improve motor skills when paired with CIMT in infants with one-sided weakness at 6-24 months of age.
ELEVATE is a device study that will look at the effectiveness of the Pipelineâ„¢ Shield Device in treating adults with acutely ruptured brain aneurysms that are shallow and are deemed unsuitable for treating with both clipping (placing a metal clip over the neck of the aneurysm) and coiling (stopping the blood flow into the aneurysm by packing it tightly with small pieces of metal). The primary goals for this study are a complete blocking of the blood vessel without narrowing of the blood vessel and no rebleeding or retreatment of the aneurysm through the 180-day follow-up.
After signing the consent subjects will be treated with the device which is a flow diverter (is a braided metal mesh cylinder that would be implanted across the opening (or ‘neck') of the aneurysm slow down or stop the blood flow into the aneurysm, causing the blood within the aneurysm to clot). The study will follow subjects from consent until the 365-day follow up post procedure. There are some risks associated with study participation such as death, stroke, and device failure. All other risks will be discussed with subjects at time of consent.
This study is testing cannabidiol (CBD) as a possible medication to treat alcohol use disorder. Youth (ages 16-22) will receive one dose of CBD (600mg) or placebo (i.e., sugar water) before two different MRI sessions (separated by 2 weeks) to see how CBD affects the brain. The full study will last approximately one month.
Participants must provide informed consent and youth under 18 must have parental consent to participate.
Compensation is available to those who qualify.
The purpose of this two-visit brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) study is to identify brain targets for improving treatment and preventative interventions for individuals at risk for co-occurring bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder. The preliminary visit for a parent and his/her biological child will include completion of clinical interviews, surveys, and labwork to determine study eligibility. If they are considered eligible for the study, brain imaging visits will occur within 1-2 weeks at which a 1-hour MRI will be completed along with additional clinical interviews, surveys, and labwork. Brief follow-up phone call interviews will be completed with participants every 3 months for 1 year. Study participation is confidential and compensated.