Welcome to the Other Brain and Nervous System Studies Page

CURRENT STUDIES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

Mood and Personality Research Study

Have you been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) or experience intense emotions and mood swings? If you are between the ages of 18-45, you may be able to take part in a research study to help learn more about the emotional experiences of people who have symptoms of borderline personality disorder. This study involves interviews and neuroimaging assessments via fMRI and EEG.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Mental Health and Behavior

Age Range

AGE: 18 - 45

Duration

VISITS: Multiple

Location

LOCATION: Virtual (Zoom), Bellefield Towers (North Oakland) and UPMC Presbyterian

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $680

CHARM Study

Are you a relatively healthy adult between the ages of 40 and 59? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to help learn more about how the brain relates to heart health. Compensation provided.

Atherosclerosis

Healthy Volunteer

And 5 more areas

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: About 6 hours

VISITS: 2 visits

Location

LOCATION: Old Engineering Hall and Bridge MRI Center - Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: up to $130 + parking or transportation expenses.

Transcranial electrical stimulation for noninvasive study of pain circuits in patients with chronic pain

Do you have fibromyalgia? You may be eligible for a research study to explore the brain’s pain circuits through transcranial electrical stimulation by stimulating the brain. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: up to 4 weeks

VISITS: up to 17

Location

LOCATION: Carnegie Mellon University and/or the University of Pittsburgh

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $75-$150/visit

Smartphone Self-Care for Chronic Conditions

Do you have spina bifida, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or cerebral palsy? Researchers at Pitt are looking for adults with these chronic conditions to give feedback on new smartphone apps designed to make self-care more manageable. Compensation provided.

Assistive Devices

Chromosomal Disorders

Other Brain and Nervous System

And 2 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

DURATION: Varies

Location

LOCATION: Multiple clinic locations in East End, or at home

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $25 per completed session

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Smart Phone Apps Study II

Do you have a diagnosis of Spina Bifida, Spinal Cord Injury, or Cerebral Palsy? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a study to help develop and evaluate an app suite to support and manage self-care. Compensation may be provided.

Assistive Devices

Chromosomal Disorders

Other Brain and Nervous System

And 3 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 18 - 99

Duration

VISITS: Multiple visits/sessions

Location

LOCATION: Either in the office, your home, or by phone

Compensation

COMPENSATION: -Participants in the mHealth group will not receive monetary compensation but will receive free use of the smartphone for the duration of the study. Participants in the control group will receive $25.00 for full completion of each study session, or $100.00 if they complete the entire study.

Physiology of normal and disordered hearing- Hearing loss

The Systems Neuroscience of Auditory Perception Lab is seeking participants aged 18+ with hearing loss for a research study on how our ears and brains help us communicate in situations with background sounds, like crowded restaurants and busy streets. Participation involves visits for hearing testing and brainwave measurements, and completion of online tasks at home. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 18 and older

Duration

DURATION: not more than 3 hours/visit

VISITS: 2-4 visits to the lab, and an at home component

Location

LOCATION: Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $16/hour

Muscle degeneration in ALS

Do you have ALS? You may be eligible for a research study at the University of Pittsburgh recruiting healthy volunteers and motor neuron disease volunteers for a study that aims to determine how muscle types impacts degeneration in human Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Muscles of the upper and lower limb will be evaluated and compared.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 3 hours/session

VISITS: 1 required and 17 optional sessions

Location

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital - Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: parking provided for study visits

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Adaptive Trial Scheduling in Naming Treatment for Aphasia

Are you 18 or older diagnosed with chronic aphasia? You may be able to participate in a research study evaluating novel anomia treatment to improve long-term retention. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 18 and older

Duration

DURATION: Up to 12 months

VISITS: Telehealth sessions

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $1,800

SPENDD Study

Do you have pain in both of your feet from nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)? You may be eligible for a research study to develop a method to assess neuropathic pain characteristics that can be used to classify patients based on their pain and predict who will respond best to certain treatments. Participation involves 2 study visits 1-2 weeks apart. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 1-2 weeks

Location

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh-Center for Innovation in Pain Care

Compensation

COMPENSATION: up to $200

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Movement Disorders Research Registry

Do you have a movement disorder? If so, you may be able to participate in the Movement Disorders Registry. This registry is a list of individuals who are interested in being contacted about future research studies.

Assistive Devices

Balance Disorders

Huntington Disease

And 4 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

VISITS: None Required

Location

LOCATION: By email or phone

Compensation

COMPENSATION: NONE

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Research Registry— Adults with Aphasia

Do you have aphasia caused by a stroke or other brain injury? If so, you may be able to join a research registry to help learn more about speech and language problems and to identify volunteers for future communication disorders research studies. There is no compensation for joining this registry, but individual research studies you may be contacted about in the future may offer compensation.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Speech and Language Disorders

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

VISITS: At least 1 visit

Location

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

Compensation

COMPENSATION: NONE

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

MyPaTH Story Booth 2.0

Interested in sharing your story about health, illness, or research? Patients and caregivers are needed to participate in a research study to help learn more about topics that are important to you and that may improve health and health care. Participation involves one 45-minute session that takes place over the phone. Eligible participants must be able to read and understand English.

And 155 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

DURATION: 45 minutes

VISITS: 1 visit or phone call

Location

LOCATION: By phone

Compensation

COMPENSATION: NONE

Speech and Language Development in Adults Who Stutter

Are you aged 18-65 and currently stutter? You may be able to participate in a research study to learn more about how speech and language skills develop and change over time. This study will involve 1-3 sessions, each lasting about 1-3 hours. Eligible participants are native English speakers. Compensation is provided.

Featured Research

Other Brain and Nervous System

Speech and Language Disorders

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 1-3 hours each visit

VISITS: 1-2

Location

LOCATION: Forbes Tower - Oakland & Online

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $15 per hour

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Telehealth and Memory Study

Are you a breast cancer survivor who completed chemotherapy one to five years ago? Do you have problems with your memory, concentration, and/or attention? You may be able to participate in a research study to test two treatments that may help breast cancer survivors improve cognitive function. This study involves 8 weeks of therapy completed online or by mobile phone, and optional MRI scanning.

Featured Research

Other Brain and Nervous System

Remote Research

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

DURATION: 14 hours over 9 months

Location

LOCATION: Online (optional MRI visits at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital – Oakland)

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Compensation provided for optional MRI scans only

Refinement of Brain Mechanisms Underlying the Development - Adult Arm

Are you a healthy 18-26 year old? You may be eligible for a research study to help us understand how the normal brain “grows-up.” Compensation is provided.

Featured Research

Healthy Volunteer

Other Brain and Nervous System

Precision Medicine

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 36 months

VISITS: 6 in-person study visits

Location

LOCATION: Loeffler Building – Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $225

Thinking in the Real World and the Brain (TReW Brain) Study

Are you 20-45 years old? Does it sometimes feel like you have a hard time turning off your brain (having thoughts that play over and over again in your mind)? You may be able to participate in a study that aims to understand how certain kinds of thoughts change brain activity and real world experiences. Study procedures involve completing an interview and an fMRI scan. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: Approximately 3-6 weeks

Location

LOCATION: Sennott Square or via Zoom & Pitt-CMU BRIDGE Center - Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $377

Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Study

Do you have Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (PDPN)? You may be eligible to participate in a research study to find out if different treatments have an effect on painful neuropathy due to diabetes. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 18 and over

Duration

DURATION: 22 weeks

VISITS: 9 visits (7 in-person and 2 remote)

Location

LOCATION: UPMC Pain Medicine Clinic - Centre Commons 5750 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $765

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

ABLE Study (ADHD Behaviors, Lifestyle, and Environment Study) – Ages 18-22

Were you first diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as an adult (age 18 or older)? Are you currently prescribed ADHD medication? Are you 18-22 years old? You may be able to participate in a study to learn more about the timing of receiving a diagnosis of, and treatment for, ADHD. Participation involves completing 3 online surveys over 3 years. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Mental Health and Behavior

Remote Research

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 3 years

VISITS: 3 surveys

Location

LOCATION: Online

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $325

MIND Study

Do you sometimes feel disconnected from your body? And have you experienced trauma? You may be able to participate in a study to help understand how interventions change brain activity associated with feeling disconnected. Participation involves interviews, pre/post MRI scans, intervention visits, and internet follow-up visits. Participants will be compensated.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Other Mental Health and Behavior

Other Wellness and Lifestyle

Stress Reduction

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 6 months

VISITS: 15 total visits (13 in-person and 2 virtual)

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $460

HCP2 – Connectomics in Brain Aging (CoBrA) Study

Are you 50 years of age or older? You may be able to participate in a brain imaging study. We want to look at how your environment changes the way your brain works as you age.

Alzheimer's Disease

Healthy Volunteer

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 50 years old and older

Duration

DURATION: 6 years

VISITS: 3 visits every two years

Location

LOCATION: Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: up to $300

Brain Connections for Arm Movement after Stroke

Are you over 21 and have you had a stroke? You may be able to participate in a research study that hopes to learn how different brain areas control movement before and after stroke and when these brain areas are most sensitive to stimulation.

Alzheimer's Disease

Atherosclerosis

Balance Disorders

And 10 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 45 and over

Duration

DURATION: 4 months

Location

LOCATION: Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $20

Brain Development Research Study – Ages 18-26

Are you a healthy 18-26 year old? You may be able to participate in a study to understand how our brain changes as we develop into adults. This study involves completing questionnaires, playing computer games, and undergoing brain and EEG scans. Compensation is provided.

Alzheimer's Disease

Balance Disorders

Brain and Neurological Disorders

And 6 more areas

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 36 months

Location

LOCATION: Loeffler Building & UPMC Presbyterian Hospital - Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $275

Spinal Cord Stimulation for the treatment of motor deficits in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Are you affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy? You may be able to participate in a research study using spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an approved clinical therapy for pain syndromes that do not respond to drugs. Unexpectedly, SCS has shown the ability to promote the recovery of leg motor function in people with complete motor paralysis in consequence of spinal cord injury years after injury.

Alzheimer's Disease

Assistive Devices

Balance Disorders

And 22 more areas

Age Range

Duration

DURATION: 9 months

VISITS: 35 visits

Location

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian

Compensation

COMPENSATION: $1750

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Memory and Attention Training for Individuals with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)

Have you been diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)? Have you been taking a tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy (Imatinib) for at least one year? You may be able to participate in a study to examine an intervention to treat changes in memory and concentration in people with GIST. Study participation involves completing an 8-week intervention using the computer and phone.

Colorectal Cancer

Other Brain and Nervous System

Remote Research

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

DURATION: 12 weeks

Location

LOCATION: Videoconference & phone

Compensation

COMPENSATION: NONE

Enroll-HD

Are you the spouse, caregiver, or family member of someone affected by Huntington’s disease (HD)? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study that is collecting data in an effort to improve understanding and treatment of Huntington’s disease (HD).

Huntington Disease

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

VISITS: Once per year

Location

LOCATION: Kaufmann Medical Building Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Travel Reimbursement

A Sensorimotor Microelectrode Brain-Machine Interface

Do you have little or no ability to use your hands due to a cervical spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, or spinal stroke? Are you aged 22-70? If so, you may be eligible to take part in a research study involving brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. BMI technology uses signals recorded from the brain to control devices such as a computer or a robotic limb. Compensation provided.

Assistive Devices

Featured Research

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

And 2 more areas

Age Range

AGE: 22 - 70

Duration

DURATION: 25 months

VISITS: Multiple

Location

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital – Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Up to $14,810 & travel costs

Dementia with Lewy Bodies Consortium (DLBC)

Do you have diagnosed or suspected dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), mild cognitive impairment that may progress to DLB, or Parkinson’s disease dementia? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to help learn more about DLB and find better ways to identify and treat the disease in the future. Compensation is provided.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Parkinson's Disease

Age Range

AGE: 40 - 90

Duration

DURATION: Up to 10 years

VISITS: 12-20 visits

Location

LOCATION: UPMC Montefiore Hospital, UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, & Kaufmann Medical Building

Compensation

COMPENSATION: Varies From $50 to $200 per visit over the 10 year study duration + parking reimbursement

PROMOTE Study

Do you have a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or a related disorder? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to help better understand the factors that explain the differences among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Study involves answering questionnaires, reviewing medical records and participating in other optional research activities.

Other Brain and Nervous System

Age Range

AGE: 18 and up

Duration

DURATION: Up to 30 years

VISITS: Multiple

Location

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh - Oakland

Compensation

COMPENSATION: NONE

RELATED RESEARCH AREAS:

Brain and Neurological Disorders