Participation Details

The Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC) conducts several research studies in which functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is used to determine areas of the brain that are activated during different behavioral tasks. Most of our research studies require participants to complete questionnaires, interviews, and an MRI brain scan. The length of participation and amount of compensation varies between studies. All study information is kept confidential. If you would like to participate, please read about our individual studies to see if you are interested. Inman C, James GA, Hamann S, Rajendra J, Pagnoni G & Butler AJ. (2012) Altered resting-state effective connectivity of fronto-parietal motor control systems on the primary motor network following stroke. Neuroimage, 59, 227-237.

Predicting Treatment Outcomes in Adolescent Assault Victims

This study is for adolescent girls between 11 and 16 years of age who have the victims of physical or sexual assault. The main part of the study will be ~12 weeks of trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which will occur once a week for 12 weeks. Participants meet with a therapist for 60-90 minutes each time. Prior to entering treatment, participants complete an intake session. This pre-treatment intake session includes a one hour confidential clinical interview, 30 minutes of questionnaires, and one 35-minute brain scans to be completed by the adolescent and 30 minutes of questionnaires to be completed by the parent. This session can occur on more than one day if needed. Participants also complete a post-treatment session. This session will be exactly the same as the pre-treatment session and can occur on two days if needed.

Participants are compensated for participating. Adolescents will receive $25 for each of the pre- and post-treatment assessments, and $25 for each of the pre- and post-treatment brain scans. Parents/legal guardians will receive $25 for completing questionnaires at each of the pre- and post-treatment assessment. Additionally, Parents/legal guardians will be compensated $15 for travel costs for each of the ~14 visits. Parents will also have their parking costs compensated. For the treatment sessions, adolescents will draw prizes from a computerized “Fishbowl”. You can get winning slips with small prizes around $1, medium prizes around $5, or large prizes around $25. These will be in the form of a check. Not all pulls will result in prizes. The number of pulls you get per visit will increase as you come to more treatment sessions.

Eligibility Criteria

Please contact Sonet Smitherman, at 501-526-8386 or smsmitherman@uams.edu, for more information.

Neuroimaging Individual Differences: A Pilot Study

For this study, we are exploring the differences in how people think and the variability on brain networks. A technique called Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, will be used to identify areas of the brain that are activated during different tasks. The brains of healthy adults will be compared to those have epilepsy to see how these two groups differ.

Participation in this study involves at least two visits. Each visit takes about 3-4 hours. On the first visit participants will be given a consent form which explains the study in more detail. Participants will complete a confidential clinical interview and some questionnaires. Participants will then complete the first of two brain scans. On the second visit, participants will be asked to complete some assessments measuring traits such as verbal fluency, attentional capacity, and motor skills. Participants then complete the second MRI brain scan.

Participants are compensated for participating. For the first visit, participants receive $25 for the interview and questionnaires, and $25 for the MRI scan, totaling $50. On the second visit, participants receive $25 for the assessments and $25 for the MRI scan, totaling $50. Participants are compensated at the end of each day of participation.

Eligibility Criteria

Please contact Jonathan Young, at 501-526-8339 or jayoung@uams.edu, for more information.

Prolonged Exposure for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder can be a devastating illness. Many treatment options may be only marginally successful at relieving symptoms. The purpose of this study is to understand the changes in brain function that happen when a person participates in the current psychological treatment for PTSD. This study will use an MRI, which means images of a person's brain will be taken with an MRI scanner while that person participates in PTSD therapy.

Participating in this study involves two visits. On the first visit, participants are given a consent form, which explains the study in more details. Participants may choose at that time to participate or not. Participants then complete a confidential interview and questionnaires about their mental health and traumatic event history. This visit is expected to take about 3 hours. During the second visit, participants are asked to participate in an MRI scan while engaged in therapy for PTSD. The in-scanner PTSD therapy is about 18 minutes of focusing on a traumatic memory and 18 minutes of focusing on a non-traumatic memory. This treatment technique is used treatment for PTSD and helps the individual learn that, while the memory in uncomfortable to think about, it is not dangerous. The total time for the MRI scan is about 45 minutes.

Participants are compensated for participating. For the first visit, participants receive $25 for the interview and questionnaires, and an additional $15 to help cover travel costs. On the second visit, participants receive $25 for the MRI scan. Participants are compensated at the end of each day of participation.

Eligibility Criteria

Please contact Sonet Smitherman, at 501-526-8386 or smsmitherman@uams.edu, for more information.