Ways to Give

We are conducting an observational study on vision and eye movements in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Dysfunctions in vision and cognition are often overlooked in patients with PD. Yet, these are major factors contributing to patients’ well-being and quality of life. This study tests visual abilities and eye movements in these patients and aims at linking dysfunctions to cognitive abilities and disease severity.

You may be eligible if:

• You are age 50-85 years old with a diagnosis of PD (diagnosed within this time)
• You are currently taking medication for your PD (e.g., Levodopa (L-DOPA) or other)
• You have normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity (at least 20/40 in both eyes)
• You do not have any other neurological or neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, dementia), or history of brain injury (stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain surgery)
• You have no history of eye disease (e.g., lazy eye, glaucoma)
• You are fluent in English

What is involved: You will be asked to come for one study visit which takes approximately 2.5 hours. You will be asked to sit in front of a computer monitor and look at, or away from, dots on the screen and we will record your eye movements using a non-invasive camera. We will also ask some demographic and medical questionnaires and will complete a brief series of cognitive and motor tasks.

Location: This study takes place at our Oculomotor Laboratory in UBC hospital (2nd floor of the Koerner Pavilion, room S257), 2211Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3.

To participate or inquire: please contact Study Coordinator, Leah Kuzmuk at lkuzmuk@student.ubc.ca

Principal investigator: Dr. Miriam Spering, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences

The CREST.BD research network has just launched a research study evaluating the impact of a new app for bipolar disorder – PolarUs.

The first of its kind, the PolarUs app helps people with bipolar disorder to measure and monitor their quality of life and apply science-based self-management strategies, with the goal of guiding them towards health and quality of life. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and philanthropic support from the Daymark Foundation, PolarUs represents the culmination of a decade of work by CREST.BD.

You may be eligible for this study if you:

• Have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder
• Live in North America
• Are over age 18
• Have regular access to a smartphone (iOS 13/Android 10 or later)
• Are able to speak, read and write in English

This study is looking at changes in cognitive function in bipolar patients who are treated with 1.5mg/day of cariprazine vs Placebo add on therapy over a 6 week period.

Who can participate:

• Males and females between 19-65 years of age
• Have a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
• Are clinically stable on current medication
• Not currently in a manic or depressed episode
• No changes will be made to your current medications.

What is involved: 

The study involves 4 clinical visits and four telephone calls. Participants will complete neurocognitive (e.g. memory, reasoning and attention) testing and give blood samples. Participants with cognitive impairment will be randomly allocated, to either receive cariprazine or placebo added to their current medications for six weeks.

For more information contact:

Study Coordinator Email: bipolar.research@ubc.ca

This study is looking at changes in cognitive function in bipolar patients who are treated with 20 to 80mg/day of Lurasidone vs Placebo adjunctive therapy over a 6-week period.

Who can participate:

• Males and females between 19-65 years of age
• Have a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
• Are clinically stable on current medication
• Not currently in a manic or depressed episode
• No changes will be made to your current medications.

What is involved: 

The study involves 4 clinical visits and four telephone calls. Participants will complete neurocognitive (e.g. memory, reasoning and attention) testing and give blood samples. Only participants with cognitive impairment will be randomised into the study to receive either Lurasidone or placebo added to their current medications for six weeks.

For more information contact:

Study Coordinator Email: bipolar.research@ubc.ca

The purpose of this study is to determine if there are differences between individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy individuals in the position and density of nerve cells in the brain, and if they are related to inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) will be used to obtain this information.

What’s Involved:

Participants, who are eligible after the screening visit, will be scheduled to come in for a second visit for a PET/MRI scan. In addition, there will be two blood tests (one at each visit) and a cognitive test.

Eligibility: 

Age: 19 Years – 50 Years Old

Patient participants must have had a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder Type 1 for more than 5 years.

Control participants must have no history of any psychiatric diagnosis.

For more information contact:

Study Coordinator bipolar.research@ubc.ca

Do you use stimulants and cannabis? You may be eligible to participate in a cannabis research study!

The Behavioral Reward Affect + Impulsivity Neuroscience (B.R.A.I.N.) Lab at the University of British Columbia is conducting an exciting study investigating the short-term effects of cannabis consumption!

Study title: Cannabis and Polysubstance Use: Response Inhibition and Stress Exposure

Principal Investigator: Dr. Christian Schütz, MD, PhD

What is this study about? 

The goal of the study is to assess the effects of cannabis oil in individuals who use both stimulants and cannabis recreationally.

What does my participation involve? 

The study involves taking cannabis oil during three sessions and completing MRI scans, computer tasks, questionnaires, and biological samples. If you participate, you will attend 5 in-person sessions and complete a daily survey at home for approximately 24 hours. You will receive a paid honorarium and an image of your brain for your participation.

How do I get involved? 

If you are interested, please contact the B.R.A.I.N. Lab by email at brainlab.cannabis@ubc.ca, or phone us at 604-827-4287.

UBC BRAIN Lab hopes to better understand impulsivity differences between people with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and healthy individuals. Specifically, this study will look at:

1. The link between regions of brain activity and impulsivity
2. A non-invasive intervention called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to help reduce the risk of impulsive behaviors.

This study will be the baseline for further exploration of impulsivity and inhibition as part of decision-making processes in BD individuals.

In over 4 visits (11.5-16 hours in total), you will:

1. Have your brain activity measured using fMRI and EEG
2. Answer questions about your background, health, mood, and behaviour
3. Play decision making computer games
4. Receive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Participant Eligibility:

1. You are between 19 and 45 years old
2. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, in the euthymic state
3. No other major physical or mental illness
4. Proficient in English

Location: The research will be conducted at 3 UBC sites: the David Strangway research office, the Centre for Brain Health (MRI Centre – Fipke Neuroimaging Suite), and Detwiller Pavilion of UBC Hospital.

Compensation: You will receive monetary compensation up to $95-100.

To participate: contact the BRAIN Lab via email brainlab.hri@ubc.ca or phone: 604-827-4287.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Christian Schütz, MD, PhD, Department of Psychiatry

Call for research participants! Help shape the future of ethical social media use in dementia prevention research.

We are looking for participants who:

• Have a lived experience of dementia;
• Are a researcher or expert working in dementia research; or
• Are simply interested in dementia research and social media

We invite you to take part in a 30-45min virtual interview conducted by Dr. Julie Robillard and her research team at the University of British Columbia.

To participate or inquire, please email Viorica Hrincu at viorica.hrincu@ubc.ca

At this time, we do not accept whole-brain donations. Please contact the Biobank about other ways to get involved in research by donating samples.

The UBC Body Program does accept donations, with the majority used for teaching purposes although some are used specifically for medical and research training. The program can be reached at body.program@ubc.ca or (604) 822-2578.

No, we appreciate any and all donations. You can donate online by clicking here.
If you are looking to make a larger donation, please connect with Development or VGH + UBC Hospital Foundation. Their contact information can be found under the “Donate Funds” section of this page.

No, not always. Please reach out to the contact person for each study to receive specific information about what is required to participate.