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.

This study involves testing how useful a technology-enhanced intervention is for pregnant people prescribed buprenorphine for the management of opioid use disorder. The intervention being studied is a brief therapy protocol and a mobile application. Participation involves four 60-minute biweekly (i.e., once every other week) therapy appointments during pregnancy, and three 30-minute therapy appointments monthly during the first three months after childbirth. The mobile application will be accessible for at least the duration of the study. Participants will also be asked to complete questionnaires at enrollment and again at 1-month postpartum and 3-months postpartum, and will be contacted approximately once a month to conduct a medication count. The total duration of the study is 6 months. Compensation is provided.

The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of a treatment called Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy (TBT) for reducing symptoms of adjustment disorder compared to the standard treatment, or treatment as usual (TAU) for adjustment disorder called Moving Forward Problem-Solving Therapy (TAU-PST).

Participants will be randomly selected to receive 10-14 weekly sessions of TBT or TAU-PST with a licensed therapist.

This study is open to Veterans and Active-Duty service personnel in the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System catchment area (including Savannah, Myrtle Beach, Hinesville and Beaufort community-based outpatient clinics).

This study aims to investigate innovative approaches to managing chronic pain and opioid use. This study consists of two phases, each offering different treatment options. Participation is voluntary.

This study will sequentially evaluate three novel and scalable interventions for at-risk individuals on long term opioid therapy for chronic pain: (1) low-dose transdermal buprenorphine initiation without a period of opioid withdrawal; (2) a brief Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for pain (CBI); and (3) transcranial magnetic stimulation by examining standardized repeated measures of clinical outcomes at baseline, during treatment, and at follow-up.

Phase 1:
In this initial phase, all participants will have a 1-week open-label trial of buprenorphine (worn as a patch on the arm, shoulder or upper-back). This trial aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine in managing chronic pain and opioid use. During this phase, participants will have the opportunity to experience the effects of buprenorphine under close monitoring.

Phase 2:
After completing Phase 1, participants will have the opportunity to choose their next course of treatment. They can decide to continue with buprenorphine, and undergo a 1-week trial of either real buprenorphine or a placebo (an inactive substance). They will be randomly assigned to receive either real or placebo buprenorphine. If participants respond well to buprenorphine treatment, they may continue the medication under the care of their physician.

Alternatively, participants can explore an alternative treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Phase 2. If they opt for rTMS, they will receive either real rTMS or a sham version interspersed with cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham rTMS.

In both phases, participants will receive close monitoring and attend regular study visits to assess safety and progress. Throughout the study, they will be asked to complete questionnaires about pain, functioning and opioid use, undergo physiological monitoring and blood samples will be collected at specific points.

It's important to note that there are potential risks associated with the study medication, such as difficulty sleeping, nausea, and dizziness. Additionally, for the rTMS arm, there is risk of mild headache, pain at the stimulation site, and there may be unknown risks related to the brain stimulation.

Participants' experience in Phase 1 will involve an open-label trial of buprenorphine, and participants' decisions in Phase 2 will determine the treatment path. While the effectiveness of these treatments is uncertain, participants will receive thorough monitoring throughout the study, and have the option to withdraw at any time. Improvement in participant symptoms is possible but not guaranteed.

This is a research study to find out if anxiety in patients with autism spectrum disorder are affected by a form of ear stimulation called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, or taVNS. Participants will learn how to self-administer ear stimulation treatments at home before starting the study. Over the course of a month, participants will self-administer ear stimulation treatments twice a day for a month. Each treatment will last up to 60 minutes (1 hour) and there will be a break of at least 30 minutes in between treatments. The study team will ask participants to complete a group of questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study. There will also be a smaller number of questionnaires completed electronically on a weekly basis. The questionnaires will ask questions about mental health symptoms that subjects may or may not be experiencing, including questions about mood, anxiety, and sleep.

The purpose of the study is to learn if a program for newborn mom's can improve detection of complications after delivery and help women get medical care quickly and easily. Participants will be asked to complete a survey at the time of enrollment and at 4 additional times. All surveys can be completed via cell-phone or email. All women will be followed for 1-year after delivery. Women that enroll will be assigned to one of two groups: usual in person care OR usual in-person care PLUS a text message-based program that will ask about sign and symptoms of complications that may occur after delivery. If there is a concern, a care coordinator will call on the phone to discuss options and help refer to care if needed. Participants will be paid for their time in completing surveys.

The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate safety and efficacy of a novel treatment, low intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP) for treatment resistant depression (TRD). The initial visit will involve consent and an MRI scan, followed by two more treatment visits over the course of one week. During the first treatment day, participants will receive either focused ultrasound or sham stimulation. On the second treatment day, all participants will receive focused ultrasound. Response and potential side effects will be monitored pre- and post- each treatment along with one week and one month follow-up assessments. Follow-up assessments will also involve an MRI scan.

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.

This study is enrolling emerging adults (ages 18-25) with cannabis use disorder (CUD) to examine sex differences in (a) cannabis withdrawal symptoms during short-term cannabis abstinence, (b) cannabidiol (CBD) versus placebo effects on stress reactivity during short-term cannabis abstinence, and (c) the relationship between stress reactivity and time to cannabis relapse after short-term cannabis abstinence. The proposed study is designed to reveal sex differences and guide the development of tailored treatments that address factors disproportionately affecting emerging adult females with CUD.

Participants will complete an assessment visit to determine eligibility. Eligible participants will be scheduled for their next visit and will be instructed to abstain from cannabis use for 3 days. Participants will be set up with a phone application (app) and given instructions on its use. This app will send twice daily, random surveys everyday throughout study participation with questions about cannabis use, cravings, and overall mood. Participants will also complete twice daily saliva samples.

At the end of the 3 days, participants will return to the clinic for their second visit. Participants will complete a urine and blood sample at each visit. After eating a snack, participants will receive one dose of CBD (800mg) or placebo and then participate in a stress task. Upon completion of the stress task, participants will complete 3 saliva samples and then be discharged after evaluation by research staff. After the completion of Visit 2, participants will continue to complete twice daily surveys for 10 days. The study will last approximately 14 days.

There are risks involved with participating in this study, including risks associated with CBD, risks associated with the stress task and study procedures, emotional distress from answering personal questions, and loss of confidentiality. There is a risk of experiencing cannabis withdrawal symptoms during the 3-day period of cannabis abstinence. Some potential risks related to CBD include dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness, and fatigue. There is a risk of loss of confidentiality, but the researchers will code the samples and research information to protect privacy. There are no direct benefits to the participant, but we hope the knowledge gained will help us inform future clinical strategies to address cannabis use in emerging adults.

Persistent smell loss that can include diminished or distorted smell function is a common symptom of long COVID syndrome. There are limited treatment options for long COVID-related smell loss. Our study aims to determine the efficacy of two at-home treatments, smell training and non-invasive trigeminal nerve stimulation. This study requires participants to conduct daily at-home treatment sessions, attend three in-person study visits at the MUSC Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and complete electronic questionnaires over the 12-week trial, and again at the six-month timepoint. Participants in this trial may benefit directly with an improvement in sense of smell. However, participation may also help society more generally, as this study will provide new information about long COVID-related smell loss and its treatment.

Substudy

Long COVID syndrome has been associated with cognitive impairment and may be related to affected emotional regulation. This study will use a electroencephalography (EEG) to examine how the body and brain responses to emotional cues in participants who are currently undergoing treatment for COVID-related smell loss. Participation will aid in the understanding of how emotional processing in long COVID is impacted by treatment for related smell loss.