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Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Ongoing Research Studies

The following are ongoing studies that are recruiting volunteers. 

Healthy Brain and Aging

Researchers are seeking healthy people for a brain imaging research study

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 30-80 years old?
  • Are you healthy adult with no history of untreated medical condition and no history of psychosis?
  • Are you without history of recreational substance abuse in the past six months?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $300. For more details, call (443)-287- 4701 or email [email protected]. Application No. IRB00259945, Principal Investigator: Jennifer Coughlin M.D. 

Tennis Players Needed for PET Imaging

We need males (ages 23-40) who played tennis in college for an imaging research study at Johns Hopkins!

To qualify, you must:

  • be between 23 and 40 years of age
  • be a healthy adult male
  • have no history of psychiatric disease
  • have played tennis at the college level or higher for at least 2 years

Qualified participants will undergo a PET scan, an MRI scan, and an optional lumbar puncture. Those completing the study will receive a payment of up to $500. Please reach Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or [email protected] for more details. Principle Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D., Application #: IRB00030788

 

Swimmers Needed for PET

We need males (ages 23-40) who swam in college for an imaging research study at Johns Hopkins!

To qualify, you must:

  • be between 23 and 40 years of age
  • be a healthy adult male
  • have no history of psychiatric disease
  • have participated in swimming at the college level or higher for at least 2 years

Qualified participants will undergo a PET scan, an MRI scan, and an optional lumbar puncture. Those completing the study will receive a payment of up to $500. Please reach Dr.Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or [email protected] for more details. Principle Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D., Application #: IRB00030788

 

Researchers Seeking Healthy People for a Brain Imaging Research Study: Imaging the role of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the pathophysiology of psychosis

To qualify for the study, you must be:

  • 18-35 years of age
  • Healthy adult: no chronic illnesses, non-smoker, no drug/alcohol abuse
  • No history of psychiatric disease

Qualified participants will have bloodwork, memory testing, one PET scan and one MRI scan of the brain. Those completing the study will receive a payment of up to $400. For more information, please call Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or email [email protected]
Principal Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D., Application #: IRB00184745
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Researchers Seeking Healthy People for a Brain Imaging Research Study: A Phase 1 Study of imaging the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in mild cognitive impairment using [18F]ASEM PET

To qualify for the study, you must be:

  • 65-80 years of age
  • Healthy adult: no chronic illnesses, non-smoker, no drug/alcohol abuse
  • No history of psychiatric diseases

Qualified participants will have bloodwork, memory testing, one PET scan and one MRI scan of the brain. Those completing the study will receive a payment of up to $400. For more information, please call Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or email [email protected]. Principal Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D., Application #: IRB00222626

 

HIV and associated cognitive impairment

Researchers are seeking individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) for brain imaging research

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 30-65 years old?
  • Have you been diagnosed with HIV?
  • Are you a non-smoker?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $350.00. For more details, please contact Dr. Jennifer Coughlin by phone (443-287-4701), or by email ([email protected]). Application No. IRB00243522, Principal Investigator: Yong Du, Ph.D. 

Researchers are seeking virally-suppressed people with HIV for brain imaging research

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 30-80 years old?
  • Have you been diagnosed with HIV and achieved viral suppression through taking antiretroviral medication?
  • Are you without history of psychosis?
  • Are you without history of recreational substance abuse in the past six months?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $300 For more details, call (443)-287- 4701 or email [email protected]. Application No. IRB00259945, Principal Investigator: Jennifer Coughlin M.D. 

Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Needed for Brain Imaging Research Study

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 30-65 years old?
  • Have you been diagnosed with HIV?
  • Are you a non-smoker?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $350.00. For more details, please contact Dr. Jennifer Coughlin by phone (443-287-4701), or by email ([email protected]). Application No. IRB00243522, Principal Investigator: Yong Du, Ph.D.

 

Memory Disorders

Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Needed for Brain Imaging Research Study

Researchers are seeking individuals to participate in brain imaging research to look at the brain in diseases.

You may be eligible if you:

  • Have been diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment
  • (MCI)
  • Are 65-80 years old
  • Are a non-smoker

Qualified participants will have one PET scan and one MRI scan of their head. Those completing the research study will receive a payment of up to $400. For more information, please call Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 410-746-6072 or email [email protected]. Principal Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D. Application #: IRB00222626

 

Psychosis/Schizophrenia

Researchers are seeking people with schizophrenia for brain imaging research

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 25-50 years old?
  • Have you been diagnosed with schizophrenia?
  • Are you without history of liver disease, or recreational substance dependence in the past three months?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $100. For more details, call (410) 502- 2407 or email [email protected]. Application No. IRB00282288, Principal Investigator: Peter B. Barker, D.Phil. 

Individuals with Recent Onset of a Psychotic Disorder are needed for a Brain Imaging Research Study

Researchers are seeking individuals to participate in a brain imaging research to evaluate whether a protein receptor is low in the brains of individuals with psychotic symptoms. You may be eligible if you:

  • Have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder with psychosis, and if you had first onset of psychotic symptoms within the past five years.
  • Are 18-35 years old

Qualified participants will have one PET scan and one MRI scan of the head. Those completing the research study will receive a payment of up to $400. For more information, please call Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or email [email protected] Principal Investigator: Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D. Application #: IRB00184745

 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

We Need Former NFL Players for Imaging

Did you recently step away from NFL play?
We’re using imaging at Johns Hopkins to study the brain after sports-related concussions. To qualify for the study, you must:

  • be between 23 and 40 years of age
  • have at least 2 years of experience in the NFL
  • be within 10 years of last NFL play

Qualified participants will undergo a PET scan, an MRI scan, and an optional lumbar puncture. Those completing the study will receive a compensation for time and travel. Please contact Dr. Jennifer Coughlin at 443-287-4701 or [email protected] for more details. Application #IRB00030788, Principal Investigator: Martin Pomper MD, PhD
Download flyer

 

Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder

Researchers are seeking individuals with diagnosis of treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder for brain imaging research

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking volunteers to participate in a brain imaging research study.

  • Are you between the ages of 18-50 years old?
  • Have you been diagnosed with depression and have not benefitted from antidepressant treatment yet?
  • Are you a non-smoker?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be eligible to participate. Those who complete the study will receive up to a cash payment of $400.00. For more details, call (443)- 287-4701 or email [email protected]. Application No. IRB00270229, Principal Investigator: Yong Du, Ph.D.