The Columbia Otolaryngology Department is interested in understanding the intersection of vaping, smell, and taste and their impact on individuals' preferences for certain flavors. Participation will involve answering a series of questionnaires in addition to completing a formal evaluation of your smell and taste with standardized measurements. You can…
The use of electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigs or vaping, has increased among former smokers and young adults who have never smoked. Relatively little is known, however, about their health effects (whether they are adverse, have no effect, or are beneficial). The purpose of this research study is to evaluate (1) the association of e-cig use with…
This is a four-session study in which we will be recruiting existing cigarette smokers to explore the competitive dynamics between memory encoding and memory retrieval. To participate, you will first go through a phone screening to determine eligibility and learn about the study. Then you will be asked to visit our facility at the Morningside Campus of…
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.…
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…
This study is for patients with Glaucoma. The purpose of this study is to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a study drug called Bimatoprost Sustained Release (SR) compared to treatment with eye drug Timolol. The Bimatoprost SR is an implant that is very small, is biodegradable (dissolves naturally in the body), and contains the bimatoprost drug.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The most important test to detect progression is visual field testing. However, this test is very subjective, often unreliable, and variable. One of the main causes of unreliable tests is the lack of attentiveness or concentration during the test. Previous studies have shown that listening…
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…
Glaucoma is a given name of a group of diseases that affect the retinal ganglion cells in the eye and the optic nerve. Glaucoma cause degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells in the retina and their projections (axons) that form the optic nerve. Retinal ganglion cells and their axons transmit all of our vision information from the eye to the brain through…