NORMAL PHYSIOLOGY

This study aims to improve MRI technology by scanning healthy volunteers. Researchers want to collect data to make MRI measurements more accurate and reliable. Participants must be 18 or older and in good health. They will have one or more MRI scans of the brain, liver, or other …

This study aims to find more accurate ways to measure metabolism (how your body uses food for energy) by looking at body size and shape. Researchers will study 2000 healthy people and those with conditions like diabetes, obesity, or cancer. Participants will stay in the hospital …

This study aims to understand how psychological factors, such as expectations and emotions, influence the way we perceive pain. Healthy volunteers aged 18-50 will undergo brain scans (MRI) and pain tests (heat or electric shocks) while their heart rate, breathing, and other respo…

This study looks at whether overweight girls start puberty earlier than normal-weight girls. Researchers will use breast and pelvic ultrasounds, blood and urine tests, and X-rays to measure body fat and bone maturity. The goal is to understand if early breast development in overw…

This study looks at whether giving magnetic pulses to the brain at the right moment in your natural brain wave cycle can make movement training more effective. Researchers will test healthy adults and people who had a stroke at least 6 months ago. The goal is to understand how th…

This study explores how a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called TMS changes brain activity related to learning and decision-making. Researchers will recruit 600 healthy adults aged 18-45 to perform computer tasks while receiving TMS or undergoing brain scans. The goal i…

This study aims to improve MRI scanning methods used in aging research. Researchers will test and refine imaging techniques on healthy adults and people with certain health conditions. Participants undergo MRI scans, sometimes with contrast agents or while performing simple tasks…

This study aims to better understand pain by testing how people with and without pain disorders respond to different sensations like heat, cold, and pressure. Researchers will also use questionnaires, medical history, and brain scans to gather information. The goal is to learn mo…

This study looks at how nicotine changes brain activity in people with major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to those without. Researchers will use MRI scans to measure brain function after giving participants either nicotine or a placebo. The goal is to understand why people …

This study looks at how changing what you eat—like the amount of protein, fat, carbs, and total calories—affects the energy your body uses to digest food. Healthy adults aged 18 to 60 will stay in a clinic for about 35 days, eating only provided meals and spending 24-hour periods…

This study aims to develop better brain imaging techniques, like MRI and EEG, to understand how addiction affects the brain. Healthy adults aged 18 and older will undergo scans and simple tasks to help researchers improve these methods. The goal is to create reliable tools for fu…

This study aims to improve how doctors observe nerves and muscles using ultrasound, a safe imaging technique. Researchers will collect normal measurements from healthy adults and compare them to people with neuromuscular disorders like muscular dystrophy or peripheral neuropathy.…

This study tests a new type of sensor (OPM) that measures magnetic fields from brain activity. Researchers want to see if it can pinpoint where brain signals come from more accurately than current technology. Healthy adults aged 18-65 who have had an MRI can join. Participation i…

This study aims to create and test computer tasks that measure how people learn and make decisions. Researchers want to better understand substance use disorders by studying healthy adults aged 18-45 from the Baltimore area. Participants will complete tasks involving smells, tast…

This study uses a special brain scan (MRS) to measure how the brain makes two important chemical messengers: glutamate and GABA. Researchers want to improve the accuracy of these measurements in healthy adults aged 18–65. No treatment or medication is given—this is purely an obse…

This study aims to understand how the brain responds to sounds during sleep using fMRI and EEG. Healthy volunteers aged 18-34 will sleep in an MRI scanner while their brain activity is recorded. Sounds will be played to see what brain patterns occur before waking up. The goal is …

This study aims to understand how healthy brains process what we see and hear. Researchers will use brain scans, eye tracking, and other tests to measure brain activity. Participants must be 13-65 years old with good vision and hearing. The study involves online or in-person sess…

This study looks at how a person's background—like race or ethnicity—affects how they feel and show pain, and how others judge that pain. Researchers will measure pain responses in healthy volunteers and then test if people can learn to assess pain more accurately. The goal is to…