Open Studies Enrolling Participants
Together with the Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, we are actively recruiting participants for several clinical trials.
Why participate? We find that people decide to participate in clinical trials since they are looking for a new and different approach to managing their mental health. Also, people often participate since they are motivated to help with the discovery and development of new treatments for their condition. if you have general questions about our clinical trials, we welcome you to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Why participate? We find that people decide to participate in clinical trials since they are looking for a new and different approach to managing their mental health. Also, people often participate since they are motivated to help with the discovery and development of new treatments for their condition. if you have general questions about our clinical trials, we welcome you to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Studies Looking for Participants with Depression
Closed-Loop Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Depression (CLACS): Single-Site Open-Label Pilot Study
We investigate the effects of 5 days of personalized non-invasive brain stimulation on mood in people with depressive symptoms in a clinical research trial.
Who is eligible:
Ages 18-70
Diagnosis of major depressive disorder
Current depressive symptoms
What will you receive:
Up to $300
Free parking at study site
Study Outline:
1. Screening session (1h): Consent, eligibility, questionnaires. (remote option)
2. Stimulation week (each day 1.5h): five consecutive days with 40 min non-invasive brain stimulation, questionnaires
3. One-week follow-up (30 min): Online questionnaires.
4. Two-week follow-up (1h): Questionnaires & assessments. (Remote option)
Take our online screening to find out if you are eligible: https://redcap.link/CLACSStudy
Location:
100 Market Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
CCN@med.unc.edu
IRB #22-3094
Who is eligible:
Ages 18-70
Diagnosis of major depressive disorder
Current depressive symptoms
What will you receive:
Up to $300
Free parking at study site
Study Outline:
1. Screening session (1h): Consent, eligibility, questionnaires. (remote option)
2. Stimulation week (each day 1.5h): five consecutive days with 40 min non-invasive brain stimulation, questionnaires
3. One-week follow-up (30 min): Online questionnaires.
4. Two-week follow-up (1h): Questionnaires & assessments. (Remote option)
Take our online screening to find out if you are eligible: https://redcap.link/CLACSStudy
Location:
100 Market Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
CCN@med.unc.edu
IRB #22-3094
Augmenting Behavioral Activation (ABA) Study
This study provides a brief single-session of psychotherapy aimed at providing tools to manage depression. You may or may not receive non-invasive brain stimulation while receiving this therapy.
Who is Eligible:
Ages 18 and older
Current diagnosis of major depressive disorder
What will you receive:
Opportunity to explore your values and receive new strategies for managing your depression
Up to $100
Free parking on site
You will be asked to complete a baseline session (3 hours), a treatment session (2 hours), a follow-up session (2.5 hours), and fill out questionnaires online (0.5 hours)
Contact Erin (ABA_study@med.unc.edu) for more information or to schedule your phone screening.
Who is Eligible:
Ages 18 and older
Current diagnosis of major depressive disorder
What will you receive:
Opportunity to explore your values and receive new strategies for managing your depression
Up to $100
Free parking on site
You will be asked to complete a baseline session (3 hours), a treatment session (2 hours), a follow-up session (2.5 hours), and fill out questionnaires online (0.5 hours)
Contact Erin (ABA_study@med.unc.edu) for more information or to schedule your phone screening.
Open Studies for Healthy Controls
The Effects of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) on Memory Recall and Sleep-EEG in Healthy Elderly Participants
Study Purpose:
The purpose of this pilot study is to establish whether it is feasible to use a combination of gamma frequency tACS stimulation and at-home sleep EEG recordings to measure the offline effects of tACS on memory recall. Specifically, we are interested in determining if this protocol is acceptable among the population aged 50 and above. We aim to prepare for a large RCT in an elderly clinical population in the future.
Target Population:
Time Commitment:
Compensation:
Participants may qualify if:
Take our online screening survey to find out if you are eligible: https://redcap.link/CHARGE
Or contact our study at CHARGE@med.unc.edu
The purpose of this pilot study is to establish whether it is feasible to use a combination of gamma frequency tACS stimulation and at-home sleep EEG recordings to measure the offline effects of tACS on memory recall. Specifically, we are interested in determining if this protocol is acceptable among the population aged 50 and above. We aim to prepare for a large RCT in an elderly clinical population in the future.
Target Population:
- Healthy elderly people, ages 50 and up.
Time Commitment:
- Up to 7 hours spread across five study visits. Visits must be completed within the span of two weeks.
Compensation:
- Up to $100.
Participants may qualify if:
- You are willing to abstain from alcohol for 24 hours before each session
- You do NOT have a cardiac pacemaker
- You are NOT diagnosed with a neurological, psychiatric, or sleep disorder
- You have NOT recently engaged in shift work within the last three months, or have not regularly gone to bed past 3 AM during the last three months
- You do NOT have a severe chronic health condition affecting your lungs, liver, kidney, heart or brain
Take our online screening survey to find out if you are eligible: https://redcap.link/CHARGE
Or contact our study at CHARGE@med.unc.edu
Infection and Inflammation in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Study Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to understand if activation of the immune system is different in patients with mild cognitive impairment when compared to people without mild cognitive impairment.
Target Population:
Participants between the ages of 50 and 80.
Time Commitment:
45-60 minutes.
Compensation:
Up to $30
Participants may qualify if they:
• Are between 50 and 80 years
• Do NOT have a current diagnosis and/or are receiving treatment for a neurological or psychiatric disorder
• Do NOT have a blood disorder or history of adverse reactions to blood draws
• Do NOT currently take antibiotics
Interested?
Please send us an email at cognition@med.unc.edu.
Study Coordinator:
Flavio Frohlich, PhD
The purpose of this study is to understand if activation of the immune system is different in patients with mild cognitive impairment when compared to people without mild cognitive impairment.
Target Population:
Participants between the ages of 50 and 80.
Time Commitment:
45-60 minutes.
Compensation:
Up to $30
Participants may qualify if they:
• Are between 50 and 80 years
• Do NOT have a current diagnosis and/or are receiving treatment for a neurological or psychiatric disorder
• Do NOT have a blood disorder or history of adverse reactions to blood draws
• Do NOT currently take antibiotics
Interested?
Please send us an email at cognition@med.unc.edu.
Study Coordinator:
Flavio Frohlich, PhD