Amherst

This research study evaluates how an oral cooling spray, currently available as a dietary supplement, affects symptoms related to burning mouth syndrome BMS. The study focuses on changes in symptom frequency and severity, as well as how BMS impacts food intake, enjoyment, and overall quality of life. It aims to better understand these effects over a two-week period. Participants will use the oral cooling spray called Dr.Bs Elixir three times daily for two weeks. Each application involves five sprays into the mouth, with up to five additional sprays as needed. The study is non-randomized and does not involve a placebo group. Optional activities include a phone interview after the intervention and providing saliva samples before and after using the spray to analyze changes in the oral microbiome. Participants will report their symptoms and related impacts through weekly online surveys that take about 5 to 10 minutes. Those who opt for the phone interview will spend an additional 30 to 60 minutes sharing their experiences. Participants providing saliva samples will receive kits by mail and return them with prepaid postage. The study is conducted remotely, allowing participants to join from home, and the total time commitment is approximately 1.5 hours if all optional activities are completed.

Researchers are studying how sleep, memory, and brain development are connected in young children aged 36 to 54 months who regularly take naps. The study aims to explore how brain markers, memory changes during naps and overnight sleep, and sleep patterns evolve as children transition from napping. This research involves following children over time to better understand these relationships. Children in the study will participate every six months in three separate sessions per wave one to promote napping or wakefulness with memory tests, another for memory assessments, and a third for a brain MRI scan. Sleep will be monitored during naps using polysomnography and overnight using similar methods. Participants will wear activity watches and fitness trackers to record sleep and activity between sessions. This process will repeat for two to three waves. During the study, children will undergo memory tests before and after naps or wake periods, have brain scans, and wear sleep monitors at home overnight. Researchers will gather data on memory performance, sleep quality, and brain structure and function. Parents will assist with some monitoring devices and provide information about their childs sleep habits. The total involvement may last over a year, with assessments approximately every six months.

Researchers are studying the safety and how montelukast moves through the body in premature infants who are at high risk for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia BPD. This study is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving critically ill premature infants with developing BPD. Previous smaller studies suggest montelukast may help these infants, but the best dose is still unknown, so this study starts with a low dose to assess safety and pharmacokinetics. Participants will receive either montelukast once daily at 0.75 mgkg or a placebo plain breast milk or formula for 7 days. Montelukast is given as 4 mg granules mixed in 5 mL of breast milk or formula to reach a concentration of 0.8 mgmL. The study includes an inpatient period lasting up to about 60 days, which covers the 7 days of treatment plus 30 days of safety monitoring or until the infant reaches 36 weeks postmenstrual age, whichever is longer. After discharge, infants will have medical and developmental follow-ups at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months old. During the study, infants will be closely monitored for how montelukast is absorbed, distributed, and eliminated, as well as safety outcomes like adverse events and respiratory support changes. Researchers will also assess long-term neurodevelopmental progress up to 24 months. Various measurements include montelukast clearance, volume distribution, half-life, and oxygen saturation index during treatment. Safety evaluations continue through 30 days after treatment or 36 weeks postmenstrual age, with extended developmental assessments during outpatient visits.

Researchers are studying how age-related changes in sleep and memory affect sleep-dependent memory processing. They aim to understand whether deficits in memory changes related to sleep are due to changes in sleep, memory, or both. The study focuses on learning differences after sleep or wake intervals in young and older adults. Participants will either take a nap or have overnight sleep, or stay awake for the same duration as the sleep condition. The study includes several experiments using tasks like word-pair learning, visuo-spatial learning, and motor sequence learning. Neuroimaging will be used in some experiments to observe brain activity during memory encoding and after sleep or wake periods. During the study, participants will complete various memory tasks and may undergo brain scans. Researchers will assess changes in memory accuracy after 2 or 12 hours depending on the experiment. Sleep quality and patterns will be monitored, and participants will be asked about their sleep habits and health history. The total participation duration varies by experiment and includes both sleep and wake testing periods.

This research aims to explore how naps and their effects on memory develop in infants aged 9 to 15 months. The study measures memory by observing if an infant can imitate actions demonstrated with toys. Sleep is monitored using a motion-detecting watch and electrodes placed on the infants head to track brain activity during sleep. Infants are recruited at 9 months, with follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months later to track changes over time. Participants are randomly assigned to either a nap-promoted group or a wake-promoted group during study sessions. Naps are encouraged through soothing methods like rocking and massaging, while wakefulness is promoted by keeping infants upright and engaging them with activities such as reading books and playing with toys. Each session includes memory testing before and after either a morning or afternoon nap, with infants fitted with sleep-monitoring electrodes during naps. These procedures are repeated at 9, 12, and 15 months of age. Caregivers and infants attend sessions where memory tasks are conducted before and after naps or wake periods. Sleep is recorded using actigraph watches worn on the ankle and polysomnography caps that measure brain activity. Memory accuracy is the primary outcome, evaluated through a specific recall task after naps. Caregivers complete sleep diaries and behavioral questionnaires, and infants are monitored for developmental milestones and health before each session. The total participation spans several visits over approximately six months, with careful monitoring to ensure reliable results and infant safety.