Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University

This small study tested whether drinking a ketone supplement for two weeks could improve heart and brain health in older adults. Eleven participants aged 50-75 tried both the ketone drink and a placebo for two weeks each. Researchers measured blood pressure, blood vessel function…

This study tested whether a mental exercise called 'episodic future thinking' could help people with cocaine addiction. Participants practiced imagining positive future events in detail to see if it made them value long-term rewards more and reduced their desire for cocaine. Rese…

This study tested whether a mental exercise called 'Episodic Future Thinking' (EFT) could help people with alcohol use disorder. EFT involves vividly imagining positive personal events that could happen in the future. Researchers wanted to see if this practice could help particip…

This small study tested whether reducing ultra-processed foods (like packaged snacks and ready meals) for 6 weeks could improve blood vessel function in 17 middle-aged adults. The goal was to see if this dietary change could be a way to lower heart disease risk. Researchers also …

This study tested whether an intensive rehabilitation program called I-ACQUIRE helps babies who had a stroke around birth improve movement in their weaker arm. Researchers compared two different amounts of therapy (3 hours/day vs 6 hours/day for 4 weeks) against regular therapy i…

This study tested if giving free water pitcher filters to low-income households in rural Virginia and Tennessee could make their drinking water safer. Researchers wanted to see if the filters reduced harmful bacteria and chemicals, and if that led to fewer stomach illnesses. The …

This study tested whether a simple, equipment-free step training program could help older adults (aged 65-80) recover their balance and avoid a fall after tripping. Researchers compared this new step training to a more complex treadmill training program and to no training at all.…

This study tested if a steroid eye drop called loteprednol could reduce pain after eye injections for age-related macular degeneration. 64 patients received either the steroid drop or artificial tears after their standard injection. Researchers called patients to track their pain…

This study explored whether fun, dance-based video games could help young adults with ADHD manage their symptoms. Researchers compared 30 minutes of dancing to a game, stationary biking, or just listening to music to see which activity best improved attention, mood, and brain fun…

This study aimed to understand how eating ultra-processed foods for two weeks changes the brain's reward system and influences how much people eat. Researchers compared a diet high in ultra-processed foods to a diet of mostly unprocessed foods in 36 young adults. They used brain …

This small pilot study aimed to understand how the body and brain respond to different types of sugar. Seven healthy adults drank beverages containing sucrose, glucose, or fructose multiple times. Researchers measured their metabolism, blood sugar, and brain activity using MRI sc…

This study aimed to understand how feeling financially strained might affect people with alcohol use disorder. Researchers had 124 participants listen to different audio stories—one about financial scarcity and one neutral—to see if it changed their alcohol cravings or made them …

This study aimed to understand if eating a lot of ultra-processed foods (like packaged snacks and ready meals) worsens blood sugar control in middle-aged adults. Twenty participants aged 45-65 followed either a high or no ultra-processed food diet for 6 weeks. Researchers measure…

This study aimed to understand if taking a choline supplement for a short time could harm blood vessel function in healthy adults. Researchers gave 20 participants either choline or a placebo for five days and measured how well their arteries worked. The goal was to gather basic …

This study looked at how four different tobacco tax proposals might change what products smokers purchase. Researchers observed 285 daily cigarette smokers in a simulated marketplace to see if higher taxes on some products would make people switch to lower-tax alternatives. The g…

This small, completed study tested a brain training method for people who wanted to reduce their drinking. Researchers used real-time brain scans to show participants their own brain activity while they thought about alcohol or personal goals. The goal was to see if this feedback…

This study aimed to understand how tiny ventilation holes in cigarette filters affect what smokers choose to buy. Researchers had 142 smokers use different cigarettes and shop in a simulated online store to see if banning these filter holes might reduce smoking or shift people to…

This research aimed to understand what makes smokers buy tobacco from illegal sources. Researchers created a simulated marketplace to test how different policies, like penalties or low-nicotine cigarettes, affect the purchasing choices of 65 adult smokers and vapers. The goal was…

This study tested different research methods to understand how cigarette prices affect what people buy. Researchers compared in-person and remote sessions, as well as hypothetical and real purchasing scenarios, with 87 adult smokers. The goal was to improve research tools for stu…

This study aimed to understand how banning flavored cigarettes and e-cigarettes might change what smokers buy. Researchers created a virtual tobacco store where 25 adult daily smokers could purchase products under different rules about which flavors were available. The goal was t…

This small, completed study aimed to understand how the body's ability to process nutrients (metabolic flexibility) might be connected to food cravings and preferences in people with different body weights. Researchers tested 20 adults with a range of body mass indexes (BMI) by h…

This study tested a new type of nasal cannula (the tube under the nose) that can measure a person's breathing while also delivering air. Researchers compared its accuracy to the standard method using belts around the chest. The goal was to see if the new device works as well for …

This study aimed to understand how government bans on flavored cigarettes and e-cigarettes might change what smokers buy. Researchers had 302 daily smokers make pretend purchases in an online tobacco store under different rules about which flavors were available. The goal was to …