Placebo

Researchers are investigating whether combining transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS with cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT improves treatment for repetitive negative thinking RNT in patients who experience high levels of rumination. This study includes patients with generalized anxiety disorder or depressive disorder and compares active tDCS combined with CBT to sham inactive tDCS combined with CBT to evaluate their therapeutic effects. The study has two stages. In the first stage, participants attend weekly CBT group sessions called Drop It for 7 weeks, each followed by either active or sham tDCS applied for 30 minutes. In the second stage, after these sessions, participants use the tDCS devices at home daily for 4 weeks, continuing with either active or sham stimulation, then return for a final CBT session. Neuroimaging scans EEG and fNIRS are done at the start and after 3 months of therapy to measure brain activity. During the study, participants complete questionnaires assessing worry, depression, anxiety, and quality of life at baseline, after the therapy course, and at 3-month follow-up. Psychiatrists also evaluate participants at these points. Questionnaires measuring rumination are completed after each session. The main outcomes are the therapeutic effect of the combination therapy and the lasting impact of tDCS on CBT benefits, with safety and brain activity monitored over up to 3 months. Participation lasts approximately 3 months.

Researchers are investigating the effects of consuming a turmeric beverage twice daily for 8 weeks on the physiology and wellbeing of healthy older adults aged 40 to 95 years. Curcumin, a bioactive compound in turmeric, has shown anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and this study aims to explore its broader impact including other turmeric compounds on older adults health and quality of life. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one group will take a 60 mL turmeric shot containing 30% turmeric twice daily for 8 weeks, while the other group will take a placebo shot with a small amount of turmeric for taste twice daily for the same period. Both groups follow this regimen for the full 8-week intervention to compare effects. During the study, participants will undergo baseline assessments and follow-up after 8 weeks, including blood tests measuring brain-derived neurotrophic factor, cholesterol, and various biochemical markers. They will also complete questionnaires on fatigue, mood, pain, sleep quality, and physical function tests such as strength and cognitive tasks. Researchers will monitor changes in these measurements to assess turmerics impact on health and wellbeing in older adults.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of low-intensity transcranial magnetic stimulation TMS on major depressive disorder MDD, along with its impact on levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid 5-HIAA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF. This randomized clinical trial aims to determine whether low-intensity TMS can reduce depressive symptoms and cause significant changes in these blood markers. The safety of TMS will also be assessed by monitoring symptoms during and after the treatment period. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real low-intensity TMS or a sham simulated TMS. The real TMS treatment involves 4 days of therapy with 5 daily sessions lasting 200 seconds each, spaced by 10-minute breaks. The magnetic field intensity used ranges from 2 to 4 milliTesla, delivered at 50 Hz in theta bursts. The sham group receives simulated treatment without magnetic field induction. During the study, participants will undergo an initial clinical assessment and provide a 5 mL blood sample before treatment. Symptoms will be monitored daily throughout the 4-day intervention. At the end, another blood sample will be collected and clinical assessments repeated. Safety monitoring will continue for one month after treatment to observe any adverse effects. The total participation includes the 4-day intervention and the follow-up period for symptom evaluation.

Researchers are evaluating a computerized attention-training method called attention bias modification ABM to see if it can reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder SAD in adults. The study also explores whether improvements in symptoms are due to changes in how attention is processed or to other factors like placebo effects and expectations. Social Anxiety Disorder involves a persistent fear of social situations and negative judgment, often linked to focusing on threatening social cues such as angry faces. Participants diagnosed with SAD will be randomly assigned to one of three groups active ABM training, placebo training, or a wait-list control group. The active ABM involves eight computerized sessions over four weeks where attention is trained away from threatening faces. The placebo group completes similar sessions without emotional or attentional training elements. The wait-list group undergoes assessments without intervention. The study is designed to clarify the specific effects of ABM compared to nonspecific factors. During the study, participants will complete clinical interviews, questionnaires, and computerized tasks before and after the intervention to assess social anxiety symptoms and attention biases. Eye-tracking and reaction-time measures will evaluate changes in attentional processing. Treatment expectancy and credibility will also be recorded. The main outcome is the change in social anxiety symptoms over about six weeks. Additional measures include changes in anxiety, depressive symptoms, and attention variability, with follow-up assessments approximately two weeks after treatment ends.

Researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemoradiation combined with Tislelizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, with or without the probiotic Probio-M9, in patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma that is pMMRMSS and located within 10 cm from the anal verge. This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing two experimental groups and a control group receiving chemoradiation only. The goal is to compare various clinical outcomes among these groups to better understand treatment effects. Participants will receive long-course chemoradiotherapy with 50 Gy delivered in 25 fractions alongside concurrent Capecitabine. Following this, they will receive two cycles of CapeOX chemotherapy combined with Tislelizumab administered intravenously at 200 mg every 3 weeks. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either daily oral Probio-M9 at 2 grams or a matched placebo starting from the beginning of chemoradiotherapy until surgery. Surgery with total mesorectal excision TME follows the treatment phase. During the study, participants will undergo evaluations including stool sample collection to analyze gut microbiota changes at baseline, during treatment, and before surgery. Researchers will monitor pathological complete response pCR within 10 days post-surgery as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include overall survival and disease-free survival rates at 2, 3, and 5 years, as well as immune-related adverse events. The study is conducted at a single center with a planned follow-up extending up to 5 years after treatment initiation.

Researchers are investigating how immersive virtual reality VR works to reduce chronic pain, comparing it to the effects of placebo treatments. This study focuses on people with temporomandibular disorder TMD, a condition involving jaw pain, aiming to understand the brain and behavioral responses to VR. The goal is to explore new non-drug ways to manage pain safely and effectively. Participants will experience three different phases, each lasting three weeks active VR using the RelieVRx device, sham VR with non-immersive video and sound, and a natural history phase without VR intervention. During active and sham VR, participants use the VR devices daily for 20 minutes. These phases are designed to assess how immersive VR affects brain activity and pain compared to placebo and usual care. Throughout the study, participants will attend in-person visits approximately every three weeks for EEG recordings measuring brain wave activity and tests measuring heat-pain tolerance. They will also complete daily questionnaires about mood, anxiety, and pain intensity. This monitoring helps researchers understand both the neural changes and clinical effects of VR on chronic pain over the study duration. The study is conducted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and lasts until late 2026.

This research aims to explore whether non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial temporal interference stimulation tTIS can reduce negative emotions and how expectations from care providers influence these effects. The study focuses on two main questions if active tTIS reduces negative affect more than a sham inactive version, and whether positive treatment expectations improve these effects. The study includes participants acting as patients and doctors to investigate these effects through multiple sessions. Participants take part in two experiments. In Experiment 1, 36 participants complete four sessions combining active or sham tTIS with positive or negative placebo messaging in a crossover design, receiving stimulation for 20 minutes or a brief sham stimulation. In Experiment 2, 160 participants 120 patients and 40 doctors engage in two sessions with sham tTIS only, where doctors deliver placebo interventions and monitor patient responses. Stimulation targets the anteriormid-cingulate cortex using specific frequencies and intensities. During the study, participants complete negative affect tasks before and after each stimulation. Physiological measures like ECG, respiration, skin conductance, and others are recorded. MRI scans and behavioral assessments are also performed. Researchers measure cognitive effort, fear, and pain ratings, along with autonomic responses, to evaluate the effects. Sessions are spaced at least 48 hours apart, and the entire testing occurs within one month.

This clinical trial is investigating treatments for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic obstruction in men aged 40 to 85. The study compares two procedures transurethral prostate resection TURP and Echolaser Soractelite-Transperineal Laser Ablation TPLA. The goal is to determine whether TPLA is not worse than TURP in improving symptoms as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score IPSS. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either the TPLA procedure, which uses transperineal laser ablation guided by transrectal ultrasound, or the TURP procedure, which involves transurethral resection of the prostate via uretrocystoscopy. Both treatments aim to relieve urinary symptoms by addressing prostate enlargement. During the study, participants will be monitored at one, three, six, and twelve months after treatment. Researchers will measure symptom scores using IPSS, compare urine flow rates Q-Max uroflow, and track inpatient timing related to treatment. The study will assess and compare these outcomes to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of each procedure over time.

Researchers are evaluating the therapeutic effects of transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS, a non-invasive method that alters brain activity, combined with gait training in people with multiple sclerosis MS. The study aims to improve balance and walking ability, which are often affected in MS patients, using a randomized, triple-blind, controlled design comparing active tDCS with sham stimulation alongside identical gait training. This builds on previous evidence suggesting beneficial effects of tDCS in MS and seeks to confirm these findings with an optimized stimulation approach. Participants will receive either active tDCS or sham stimulation using the same device and electrode placement. Active tDCS applies 2 mA current for 20 minutes with electrodes placed on the head and right shoulder, secured with a cap and bandage. The sham group receives a brief, low-level stimulation mimicking the devices sensations without therapeutic current. Both groups will undergo 20-minute treadmill gait training sessions supported by a body-weight support harness to promote motor relearning and ensure safety. During the study, participants will be assessed before treatment, after the 10th session, and at a 4-week follow-up. Researchers will measure walking speed and balance using tests like the Timed Up and Go TUG and Timed 25-Foot Walk, along with questionnaires on walking ability and fatigue. Safety and clinical outcomes will be monitored throughout, with the total participation duration spanning the intervention and follow-up periods.

Researchers are evaluating the pain-relieving effects of the pericapsular nerve group PENG block during hip replacement surgery. This prospective, randomized, double-blind study compares two groups of patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. Participants are assigned to receive either 20 ml of ropivacaine 0.5% or 20 ml of a saline solution as a placebo to assess the impact on postoperative pain management. The study involves two treatment groups one receiving the PENG block with ropivacaine, a local anesthetic, and the other receiving a placebo injection of physiological saline. Both treatments are administered during the hip implant procedure, which uses a minimally invasive anterolateral approach with a specific implant system. The trial is designed to maintain blinding and randomization to fairly compare the effects. Participants will be monitored for opioid use within the first hour after recovery room arrival, along with total opioid consumption, pain levels, nausea, vomiting, and overall recovery until the evening of the second day after surgery. The study tracks these outcomes closely to understand the efficacy of the PENG block. The total duration of involvement includes the surgical procedure and postoperative observation up to two days after surgery.