Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University

This study tested a new intensive therapy called I-ACQUIRE for infants aged 8 to 36 months who had a stroke around birth and have weakness on one side. The therapy involves guided play and movement exercises for either 3 or 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Researchers co…

This study tested whether taking a prebiotic fiber called inulin every day for 6 weeks could improve how the body handles sugar and fat in prediabetic adults. Twenty-two participants ate a controlled diet and either got inulin or a placebo. Researchers measured insulin sensitivit…

This study tested whether a technique called Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) — where people vividly imagine positive events in their future — could help reduce drinking in 154 adults with alcohol use disorder. Participants either practiced EFT or recalled past events (control), th…

This pilot study tested whether a simple step training program helps older adults recover balance after tripping. Thirty participants aged 65-80 either did step training, treadmill training, or no training for three weeks. Three weeks later, they were tripped in the lab to see if…

This study tested whether drinking a ketone supplement three times a day for two weeks could improve blood vessel health and thinking skills in adults aged 50-75. Eleven participants each tried the ketone drink and a placebo, with a two-week break in between. The goal was to see …

This study tested whether real-time brain scans (fMRI) could help 21 adults with alcohol use disorder learn to control their cravings. Participants practiced shifting their brain activity toward future goals instead of alcohol. The goal was to see if this mental training could re…

This study tested whether playing a dance-based video game (Just Dance 2024) could improve attention, mood, and self-control in young adults with ADHD. Sixty-nine participants aged 18-24 were randomly assigned to dance gaming, stationary biking, or music listening for 30 minutes.…

This study tested whether a steroid eye drop (loteprednol) can reduce pain after intravitreal injections for age-related macular degeneration. 64 participants received either the steroid drop or artificial tears right after their injection. Pain was tracked by phone over a week. …

This study looked at whether menthol-flavored accessories like crush balls and filter tips can make non-menthol cigarettes feel more like menthol ones. Twenty-four menthol smokers tried different cigarettes and rated them on liking, strength, and ease of use. They also did buying…

This study looked at how cigarette smokers make purchasing decisions in an experimental tobacco marketplace. Researchers compared real purchases (where participants actually received products) with hypothetical ones. The goal was to see if these methods give similar results for u…

This study tested a new way to treat chronic pain without surgery or drugs. Researchers used low-intensity focused ultrasound (sound waves) to temporarily change brain activity in 61 adults with chronic pain. Participants had brain scans and then received mild heat pulses on thei…

This study looked at how eating ultra-processed foods (like packaged snacks) affects your metabolism and brain compared to minimally processed foods (like whole fruits and vegetables). Fifty-seven healthy adults ate both types of meals in a special room that measured their energy…

This study involved 440 daily smokers and dual users (smokers who also vape) to understand how price changes affect their choices between cigarettes and other nicotine products like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco. Participants completed a simulated shopping ta…

This study looked at whether two common artificial sweeteners—saccharin and acesulfame-potassium—affect blood sugar levels in middle-aged and older adults with prediabetes. Fourteen participants ate controlled breakfasts with or without these sweeteners, and their blood glucose w…

This study looked at whether artificial sweeteners like Equal (aspartame) and Splenda (sucralose) raise blood sugar in adults with prediabetes. Fourteen participants ate controlled breakfasts with or without sweeteners, and their glucose levels were tracked for two hours. The goa…

This study tested whether taking choline supplements for a short time affects blood vessel function in 20 healthy adults. Choline is a nutrient found in foods like eggs and meat, but when gut bacteria break it down, it produces a compound called TMAO, which has been linked to hea…

This study looked at whether taking a choline supplement (1000 mg) the night before affects blood vessel function in 29 healthy adults. Participants took either choline or a placebo, then had their artery function measured. The goal was to see if choline, which raises a gut-relat…

This completed study with 65 adult smokers and vapers tested how different rules and penalties affect whether people buy illegal tobacco products. Participants used a simulated store to see how promotion factors and mitigation strategies like fines changed their buying choices. T…

This study tested whether reducing ultra-processed foods (UPF) can improve blood vessel function in middle-aged adults, a key factor in heart disease. Seventeen participants ate either a diet with no UPF or one with high UPF for six weeks. Researchers measured changes in artery f…

This study gave low-income households in rural Virginia and Tennessee water filters to see if they could reduce harmful germs and chemicals in their drinking water. Researchers checked water quality and tracked stomach illnesses in 76 homes. The goal was to understand if affordab…

This study looked at how eating a lot of ultra-processed foods (like packaged snacks and sugary drinks) affects blood sugar control and gut bacteria in adults aged 45 to 65. Twenty participants followed either a high-UPF or no-UPF diet for six weeks. The goal was to see if these …

This study explored how eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods (like chips and sugary snacks) changes brain activity related to reward and leads to overeating. Researchers compared two diets in 36 adults aged 18-25. The goal was to understand, not treat, how these foods affe…

This study looked at whether thinking about financial scarcity changes how people with alcohol use disorder value alcohol and make decisions. 124 adults who wanted to cut down on drinking listened to either a story about scarcity or a neutral story. Researchers then measured thei…

This study looked at how flavors in cigarettes and e-cigarettes influence whether smokers switch products. Researchers used a virtual store to simulate buying choices under different flavor rules. 25 daily smokers who did not regularly use e-cigarettes took part. The goal was to …

This study tested whether a mental exercise called Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) could change how people with cocaine use disorder make decisions and reduce their cocaine use. 141 participants were asked to vividly imagine positive future events or control events. Researchers me…

This study tested how limiting flavors in cigarettes and e-cigarettes changes what people choose to buy. 302 adult smokers completed a single online session where they made purchases in a simulated tobacco marketplace. Researchers measured how much of their budget they spent on c…

This study looked at what might happen if cigarette filter ventilation holes were banned. Researchers created a virtual store where 142 smokers could buy different tobacco products at various prices. The goal was to see how smokers would react if only low-ventilated or non-ventil…

This completed study looked at how 285 daily smokers would change their tobacco purchases under four different tax plans. Participants used a simulated online marketplace to buy products as taxes increased. The goal was to see if certain taxes push smokers toward lower-risk alter…

This pilot study tested whether researchers can measure how different sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) affect metabolism, brain activity, and food preferences in healthy adults. Seven participants consumed flavored sugar drinks multiple times and underwent brain scans and …

This study looked at how the body processes nutrients and whether that affects food cravings in people with different body weights. Twenty participants drank flavored beverages with sugar and rated how much they liked them. Researchers also measured blood sugar and metabolism. Th…

This study tested a new device called FRNDS, a nasal cannula that can measure how much air a person breathes while also delivering air. Researchers compared it to standard chest belts in 57 healthy adults. The goal was to see if the cannula works as well as current methods, which…