Columbia University Medical Center is recruiting individuals ages 21-55 who are seeking treatment for alcohol problems to participate in a research study involving treatment. For your participation, you'll receive treatment with disulfiram (brand name Antabuse) at no cost. You be treated with disulfiram for approximately 13 weeks and undergo brain…
This is a research study to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. Particularly, we are looking at the importance of inflammation in the process. If you participate, you will receive an experimental medication for your depression named ethyl eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl EPA), an omega 3 fatty acid. You will…
The goal of this study is to examine how effective and well-tolerated a possible new treatment for individuals who injure themselves frequently will be. All research procedures can be done from home no in-person visits are required. We are studying a minimal-risk form of electrical brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS.…
The purpose of this study is to compare the time to onset of an episode of overt HE, in subjects with previously demonstrated overt HE after treatment with rifaximin 550 mg BID and lactulose, or rifaximin 550 mg BID. Subjects will be screened to confirm eligibility into the study. Once confirmed, subjects will begin the treatment phase and will be randomly…
We are trying to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. Particularly, we are looking at the importance of dopamine signaling in the process. If you participate, you will have two different brain scans (MRI and PET scan). You will also have treatment for your depression with an FDA approved medication,…
This study is a double-blind and placebo-controlled study to assess its efficacy of the new drug Lumateperone for patients with Major Depressive Episodes associated with Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorder. Lumateperone is thought to exert its antidepressant effect through interaction with sereotogenic, dopaminergic, and glutamergic neurotransmitter targets.…
We will evaluate the D-cycloserine (DCS) and lurasidone with MRI measurement of brain responses to DCS. DCS is a drug that works on the same brain receptor as ketamine. DCS is not approved by the FDA for bipolar depression. Study participants will receive a dose of lurasidone or placebo in one MRI and a dose of DCS in another, followed by an optional follow…
NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE HIV AND HAVE EVER HAD HEPATITIS C TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS STUDY!! ............... For individuals who have both HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV), heavy drinking poses serious risks to their health. We do not yet know which interventions are effective at helping individuals with HIV and HCV drink less. The goal of the study is to compare…
The purpose of this study is to find out how doctors describe hepatic encephalopathy episodes in patients medical records in the course of their regular practice. The aim of the study is simply to collect information from their medical records about how their episodes of overt hepatic encephalopathy are described. There is nothing that will be required of…
We are trying to understand what causes bipolar disorder and how medications treat bipolar depression. If you participate, you will have two different brain scans (MRI and PET scan). You will also have antidepressant treatment for free. We will then be able to see whether information on the brain scans connects with how people do on the medications. The…