Clinical Research Directory

Cognitive Rehabilitation for Refugees With Traumatic Brain Injury and Cognitive Impairment

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are looking to see if a program created to help improve thinking and memory can work for refugees with traumatic brain injury (TBI). They're checking if this program is practical and if people find it helpful. The study will have two groups. Participants will complete a first questionnaire and then be assigned to a group by chance. One group will participate in the program immediately and then answer the second questionnaire (approximately 3 months after the first questionnaire they did). Then they will wait and then answer the third and final questionnaire approximately 6 months after the first one. The second group will wait and answer the second questionnaire approximately 3 months after the first one. Then they will receive the program and answer the third and final questionnaire (approximately 6 months after the first one they did.)

Cranberry Polyphenols and Stress Resilience During Multitasking in Healthy Adults

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluates whether 70 days of daily cranberry juice consumption improves cognitive performance and motor accuracy and reduces psychological and physiological stress responses during a motor-cognitive dual-task multitasking challenge in healthy adults aged 30-55 (Aim 1). It is hypothesized that chronic cranberry juice intake will enhance dual-task performance and attenuate stress reactivity (Hypothesis 1). It is further hypothesized that cranberry juice will mitigate multitasking-related fatigue, mood fluctuations, and cognitive impairment, accompanied by favorable changes in circulating stress biomarkers and stress-regulatory neurochemical pathways (Aim 2/Hypothesis 2). Finally, the study incorporates gut analysis to determine whether cranberry juice induces beneficial shifts in the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites (e.g., SCFAs) and whether these changes are associated with improved cognitive and stress-related outcomes, consistent with a microbiome-gut-brain axis mechanism (Aim 3/Hypothesis 3).

PQQ for Cognitive and Negative Symptoms

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by a range of symptoms, including negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. Recent research has indicated the potential benefits of targeting mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses in alleviating symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the results remain inconsistent across various studies. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) in reducing negative symptoms and improving cognitive function in patients with chronic schizophrenia. The investigation will focus on changes in severity scores from baseline to endpoint, as well as during an eight-week follow-up period. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted involving participants diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either PQQ or a matched placebo. Data will be collected through questionnaires and neuroimaging techniques, including resting-state scans and multimodal tasks to assess functional connectivity and activation in target brain regions. Statistical analyses will include descriptive statistics, voxel-by-voxel multiple regression, and linear mixed models to account for repeated measurements. Additionally, potential moderating effects of demographic factors such as age and gender will be examined using ANCOVAs. The study will also monitor adverse events and ensure participant safety through a rigorous reporting and unblinding procedure. It is hope to provide insights into the therapeutic potential of PQQ in managing schizophrenia symptoms, contributing to the development of more effective treatment strategies for this challenging condition.

Cognitive Rehabilitation of Blast Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of a structured rehabilitation program on cognitive function and quality of life in individuals with blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI).