p a r t i c i p a t e

Please see our list of ongoing studies below.

Tracking Responses to CBIT (UCSD)

Tracking Responses to CBIT (TReC) is a treatment study for people aged 10-17 years who experience tics. The study involves an assessment, EEG, and MRI before and after treatment. All participants receive 8 sessions of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) from a trained CBIT Coach. CBIT is a standard therapy for Tourette Syndrome that can help people learn skills to manage their tics. The TReC Study is an in-person study at the University of California San Diego and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. For more information, please email brainstudy@ucsd.edu or complete a study interest form by clicking Join.

Precision Blinks (UCSD)

We are currently recruiting for our Precision Blinks study. This study involves repeated MRI visits to better understand brain activity during eye-blink tics. We hope to understand brain function before, during, and after these types of tics in more detail than any previous study. If your children would like to participate in this study, they would: 1. Complete an initial clinical visit where you and your child would fill out questionnaires, and your child would complete cognitive testing in the form of ipad games, riddles, pointing to pictures, and answering questions. This visit lasts approximately 4-6 hours and can be split between two days. We would compensate you and your child a total of $50 each for this visit. 2. Complete 4-6 MRI scans over 12 weeks. We aim to complete at least 1 MRI per week, however we do provide flexibility to work within your schedule. Each MRI visit lasts ~1.5 hours with approximately 1 hour being in the MRI scanner. For each MRI visit your child would be compensated $25/hour. Contact us for more information at brainstudy@ucsd.edu.

Anorexia Nervosa PFM (UCSD)

This study seeks individuals ages 18 or older who have been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. We will use "precision mapping" to advance our understanding of how the brain changes during the course of anorexia nervosa at the individual level. By repeatedly sampling the same individual (hours of brain imaging data per participant, collected over many sessions), we can create precise, reliable brain network maps for each individual and examine how brain structure and function fluctuate in association with symptom change. Participants will be scanned using fMRI approximately weekly, and be asked to complete some questionnaires, interviews, and computer tasks. Participants will be compensated by cash for MRI scans and completing behavioral questionnaires, and will also receive images of their brain. For more information, please reach out to emkoithan@ucsd.edu or brainstudy@ucsd.edu.

Precision Tics (UCSD)

This study seeks 7-17 year olds who are diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome or have undiagnosed tics for at least one year, as well as 7-17 year olds without tics or a history of tics. The purpose of this research is to learn about brain activity in children with Tourette syndrome. The study comprises one clinical visit and 4+ (up to 10) MRI scan sessions scheduled at your convenience. During these visits participants will also be asked to perform different behavioral and cognitive tasks outside of the scanner while parents fill out online questionnaires. Participants will be compensated for their time. Contact us for more information at brainstudy@ucsd.edu.

What to Expect

The study team member will meet you on campus. During your visit, questionnaires and other study documents will be completed. If this will be your first time in an MRI scanner, a mock scan may be completed. This is a simulation of the real MRI scan. It provides you with an opportunity to see the scanning environment and get a better understanding of what a real scan is like. We are then able to determine if you can tolerate lying still for the scan portion of the study.

The study team wants you to be comfortable. Please let us know how we can best accommodate you. We have snacks and drinks available to you. We try to be as flexible as possible with scheduling study visits. In addition, please remember that your participation is entirely voluntary and you may quit at any time or omit portions of the study. We are excited to have you participate!

MRI Scanning

If you are participating in a study that includes MRI scanning, you will be asked to change into MR compatible, disposable scrubs. Alternatively, you can bring an outfit of your own to be approved by the research assistant. The clothing needs to be 100% cotton (no synthetics), including underwear and socks. Remember to remove all metal from your body, including jewelry and hair accessories.

The MRI scans do not include radiation, sedation, or anesthesia. You will be required to fill out an MRI safety screening questionnaire to determine if it is safe for you to be scanned. The study staff will ensure that you are as comfortable as possible during your scanning session. Earbuds are provided to minimize the sound levels of the scanner and allow voice communication with the scanner operator. You are asked to lie flat on a padded surface with pillows, sheets, and blankets for comfort. You are able to inform the scanner operator of any discomfort during the scan.

During a portion of the scans, you may watch a movie. We have a fairly wide selection of movies from which to choose, you may bring your own movie (no Blu-rays), or choose something from Netflix.

External Resources

RadiologyInfo.org - RadiologyInfo.org tells you how various x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, radiation therapy and other procedures are performed. It also addresses what you may experience and how to prepare for the exams. The website contains over 200 procedure, exam and disease descriptions covering diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy and radiation safety and is updated frequently with new information. All material on the RadiologyInfo.org website is reviewed and approved by experts in the field of radiology from the ACR and RSNA, as well as other professional radiology organizations.