Penn State University

This study aims to see if a healthy diet containing cottonseed oil improves cholesterol and other markers of heart and metabolic health more than diets with other common plant oils. Researchers will provide all meals to 52 adults with moderately high cholesterol for three separat…

This study is testing whether having nurses perform a daily, brief confusion check (called the UB-CAM) on older hospital patients can help catch delirium early. The goal is to see if this routine screening leads to fewer falls, less use of sedating medications or restraints, and …

This study is testing a digital program designed to help pregnant women who have overweight or obesity manage their weight gain, activity, and eating habits. 144 participants will use smart scales and activity trackers while receiving weekly coaching, with the goal of staying wit…

This study is testing whether eating prunes daily can help slow down bone loss in women going through menopause. Researchers will compare bone health in women who eat about 5-6 prunes every day for 18 months against women who don't eat prunes. The goal is to see if this simple di…

This study is testing whether playing pickleball twice a week for 8 weeks can help improve sensory-motor skills and reduce core autism symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Researchers will enroll 50 adults aged 18-45 and compare those who start pickleball immediately…

This study is testing a 6-session educational program for parents whose child is being evaluated for special education services. It aims to help parents feel more confident, work better together, and reduce stress before their first important school planning meeting. Researchers …

This study aims to understand how children's natural ability to sense bodily feelings like hunger and fullness relates to their eating behaviors. Researchers will measure 60 children's body awareness through simple tasks like counting heartbeats and drinking water until full. The…

This study aims to understand if depression or common antidepressant medications affect how the body cools itself down when overheated. Researchers will compare skin blood flow and sweating in four groups: healthy adults, adults with untreated depression, and adults with depressi…

This study aims to understand how children's eating habits at home compare to those in a lab, and how the home environment might encourage overeating. Researchers will video-record 100 healthy children, aged 6-9, eating meals both at home and in a lab to measure their eating spee…

This study aims to understand how everyday listeners perceive the speech of people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Researchers will recruit about 1,300 online participants to listen to recorded speech from people with ALS and typical speakers. The goal is to learn if ha…

This study aims to identify specific temperature and humidity combinations where older adults can no longer cool themselves effectively during exercise, putting them at risk for heat illness. Researchers will have participants exercise in controlled environmental chambers to find…

This study aims to understand how popular GLP-1 weight loss medications change a person's relationship with food. Researchers will use a virtual reality buffet to observe the food choices of 25 adults before and after they start taking the medication. The goal is to learn how the…