Featured Studies
Featured studies include only those currently recruiting participants. They are listed according to the date they were added to the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, with the most recent studies appearing first.
- Translocator Protein and Inflammation After Traumatic Brain Injury.
Interventional study. Background: - People with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have inflammation in the brain. Ages 18-70. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Imaging of Brain Receptors Using (11C)mGlu1.
Interventional study. Background: - (11C)mGlu1 is a new drug that helps to show where a protein, mGluR1, is found in the brain. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Imaging of CB1 Receptors Using (11C)SD5024.
Interventional study. Background: - The cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is a protein found on some brain cells. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- (18F)FCWAY and the Blood-Brain Barrier.
Evaluation study. Background: - The blood-brain barrier helps protect the brain from infections and toxins in the blood stream. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Oxytocin and Arginine Vasopressin in Pain Relief.
Evaluation study. Background: - Oxytocin, a substance produced mostly in the brain, plays a role in influencing social interactions and reactions to stress, and may be related to pain. Ages 18-55. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Development of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Techniques for Imaging Metabolites and Neurotransmitters in Human Brain.
Evaluation study. Background: - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used scanning technique to obtain images of the human body and evaluate activity in the brain. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- The Medical HOME Study.
Interventional study. There is an urgent need to develop practical, sustainable approaches to improving medical care for persons treated in community mental health settings. Ages 18 and over. Location in Marietta, GA.
- An Exploratory Study of the Characteristics of and Challenges for International Families Seeking Medical Care in the United States.
Evaluation study. Background: - State-of-the art care for children with cancer or rare diseases is not available in all countries. Ages 18 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Defining the Brain Phenotype of Children With Williams Syndrome.
Evaluation study. Background: - Little is known about how the brain changes during childhood and adolescence, how genes affect this process, or how the brains of people with Williams syndrome change during this period. Ages 5-17. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Top-Down Attentional Control of Visual-Processing.
Evaluation study. Background: - Previous studies have shown that people with certain types of brain damage may have particular problems paying attention and processing things that they see. Ages 18 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Characterizing Lone Parenting: A Multi-institutional Pilot Study of the Perceptions of Support and Perceived Stress of Lone Parents of Children With Cancer.
Evaluation study. This study will describe the perceptions of support and distress outcomes of single/lone parents of a child with cancer. Ages 18-65. Locations in Birmingham, AL; Long Beach, CA; Bethesda, MD; Boston, MA; Jackson, MS; New York, NY; Akron, OH; Stillwater, OK; Memphis, TN; Milwaukee, WI.
- Examining an Exercise and Nutrition Program for Reducing Weight in People With Severe Mental Illnesses (The ACHIEVE Study).
Interventional study. This study will determine whether a nutrition and exercise program is effective in helping people with severe mental illnesses lose weight. Ages 18 and over. Location in Baltimore, MD.
- Examining the Effects of Antipsychotic Medications on Insulin Sensitivity.
Interventional study. This study will examine the effects of two different antipsychotic medications on control of blood sugar in people who are at risk of diabetes but mentally healthy. Ages 40-65. Location in San Diego, CA.
- Examining Physiology and Brain Function in People With the Fragile X Premutation.
Evaluation study. This study will examine whether individuals with the fragile X genetic premutation are likely to have emotional, social, and memory deficits and how the brain may be involved in these deficits. Ages 18-45. Location in Sacramento, CA.
- Testing a New Therapy for Trichotillomania.
Interventional study. This study will test the effectiveness of a new behavioral therapy for adults with trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling). Ages 18-65. Location in Milwaukee, WI.
- Imaging Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors in Alcohol Dependence.
Evaluation study. The cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is a protein found in the brain that is involved with the effects of marijuana; it may also play a role in the effects of alcohol dependence and withdrawal. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Reducing Weight Gain and Improving Metabolic Function in Children Being Treated With Antipsychotics.
Interventional study. This study will test the effectiveness of two different treatments for children and adolescents who have gained weight on their antipsychotic medications. Ages 8-19. Locations in Baltimore, MD; Glen Oaks, NY; Chapel Hill, NC.
- Effectiveness of Anger Management Treatment in Reducing Anger-Related Behaviors in Female Juvenile Offenders.
Interventional study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an anger management treatment program, Juvenile Justice Anger Management for Girls, in reducing anger-related behaviors displayed by girls in the juvenile justice system. Ages 12-19. Location in Philadelphia, PA.
- PET Imaging of Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptors.
Evaluation study. This study will use positron emission tomography (PET) to measure a receptor in the brain that is involved in inflammation. Ages 18 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain.
Evaluation study. This study, conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), will explore the phenomenon of phantom limb pain (a continued feeling of pain in an amputated limb) and will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the effect of mirror therapy on phantom limb pain. Ages 18-75. Locations in Washington, DC; Bethesda, MD.
- PET Imaging of P-glycoprotein Function Using [11C]dLop.
Evaluation study. This study will test the use of a radioactive substance called [11C]dLop for measuring P-glycoprotein (P-gp) using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Ages 18-51. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- PET Imaging of Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors Using [11C]MePPEP.
Interventional study. The purpose of this protocol is to measure brain CB1 receptors in the hope to better understand how they work, so that one day we can understand how the CB1 receptors are involved in psychiatric, neurological, and behavioral disorders. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- PET Imaging of Brain mGluR5 Receptors Using [18F]SP203.
Interventional study. The metabotropic glutamate subtype five (mGluR5) receptor is a protein found in the brain and is the target for the excitatory chemical messenger glutimate. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- PET Imaging of Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptors in Patients With Neurocysticercosis Using [C-11]PBR28.
Interventional study. The purpose of this protocol is to measure peripheral benzodiazepine receptors in the brain using positron emission tomography (PET) and compare the imaging results between patients and healthy people. Ages 18-75. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Comparison of Two Psychosocial Therapies for Treating Children With Oppositional-Defiant Disorder.
Interventional study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of two different psychosocial therapies, parent management training and collaborative problem solving, in treating children with oppositional-defiant disorder. Ages 8-14. Location in Blacksburg, VA.
- Effectiveness of Treatment for Relational Aggression in Urban African American Girls.
Interventional study. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based social cognitive group treatment in reducing aggression (bullying) among relationally aggressive urban African American girls. Location in Philadelphia, PA.
- Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children Who Have Been Physically Abused.
Interventional study. This study will determine the effectiveness of abuse-focused cognitive behavioral therapy that is provided by a community health clinic in addressing the behavioral and emotional health needs of children and adolescents whose parents have used physical disciplinary action. Ages 5-15. Location in Pittsburgh, PA.
- PET Whole Body Imaging Using a Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligand [C-11]PBR28.
Interventional study. In this study we will examine where the radioactive tracer [11C]PBR28 is distributed in the body of healthy volunteers to calculate the radiation exposure to organs of the body. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Protein Synthesis in the Brain of Patients With Fragile X Syndrome.
Evaluation study. Biosynthesis of proteins is essential for growth and continued maintenance of the entire neuron including axons, dendrites, and synaptic terminals, and it is clearly one of the important biochemical processes underlying adaptive changes in the nervous system. Ages 18-24. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Safety and Effectiveness of Taking Choline Supplements During Pregnancy for Improving Infant Brain Development.
Interventional study. This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of taking choline supplements during pregnancy, and whether choline supplementation has an effect on infant development. Ages 18-45. Location in Aurora, CO.
- MRS Measurement of Glutamate and GABA Metabolism in Brain.
Interventional study. This study will use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure in the brain the transfer of [13]C as it is naturally metabolized from glucose to specific chemical transmitters. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- A Comparison of Fluoxetine and Divalproex for the Treatment of Intermittent Explosive Disorder.
Interventional study. This study will compare the medications fluoxetine (Prozac®) and divalproex (Depakote®) for the treatment of aggressive behavior in individuals with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Ages 21-55. Location in Chicago, IL.
- Psychopharmacology of Fear-Potentiated Startle in Humans.
Evaluation study. The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of the drug alprazolam (Xanax ) on anxiety. Ages 18-45. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- PET Scanning in Parkinson's Disease.
Evaluation study. This is an in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) study of regional cerebral dopamine neurochemistry and blood flow in normal volunteers, persons with Parkinson's disease (both familial and sporadic), and those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Ages 18 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- The Effects of Reproductive Hormones on Mood and Behavior.
Evaluation study. This study evaluates the effects of estrogen and progesterone on mood, the stress response, and brain function in healthy women. Ages 18-50. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Brain Imaging of Childhood Onset Psychiatric Disorders, Endocrine Disorders and Healthy Children.
Evaluation study. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unlike X-rays and CT-scans does not use radiation to create a picture. Ages 3 and over. Location in Bethesda, MD.
- Studies of Blood Flow to the Brain During Thought.
Evaluation study. The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to measure changes in blood flow to areas in the brain as individuals perform intellectual tasks. Ages 18-65. Location in Bethesda, MD.
Related Information
Clinical Research at NIMH
- For opportunities to participate in NIMH research on the NIH campus, visit the patient recruitment Website. Travel and lodging assistance available.
