Opportunities to Participate in Research

Circadian Dysfunction and Depression

We are looking for depressed adults 18 and older to participate in a depression and brain imaging research study. We are studying the relationship between sleep and mood. The study involves four overnight stays at Stony Brook University Medical Center. During one of those nights, you will be kept awake. This technique will likely result in a brief (<1 day) improvement in your depression. Following this study, you will be offered antidepressant medication at no cost. Payment for your time and effort: up to $2,000 if you are eligible and choose to participate.

Learn more

If interested in participating, please contact our study coordinator at

Call: 631-638-HELP (631-638-4357) Text: 716-4BRIGHT (716-427-4448) 

Email us at imaging.study@stonybrookmedicine.edu


Cholinergic transmission abnormalities associated with smoking behavior in humans

The Multi-Modal Translational Imaging (MMTI) Lab is looking for volunteers aged 18-55 who are in good health and smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. This study is looking at how behavior, brain chemistry, and brain activity may be changed by addictive drugs and how these changes may affect how much people smoke. Participation in this study takes about 3 days to complete and involves confidential interviews, a physical exam (with vital signs, blood draw, urine testing, pregnancy testing, & ECG), surveys and questionnaires, cognitive testing and behavioral tasks, and both an MRI and PET scan. If you qualify, you will be compensated up to $540 for completing all study procedures. Participation in this study may result in eligibility for additional paid studies in our lab.

To learn more about our research, please click on the study title link above, visit our website at https://www.mmtilab.org/, contact us via email at mmtilab.sbu@gmail.com, or phone call at (631) 495-5441.


Emotion Regulation in Aging

This study investigates how problems such as cognitive dysfunction and depression symptomatology relate to the ability to regulate emotions during late middle and older age.  Participants take part in an interview to gather information about medical and psychiatric history, a physical exam and blood draw, cognitive testing, a functional MRI scan, and questionnaires.  Some parts of this study can be performed virtually, and we are enrolling people who are unable to attend in-person visits at this time due to the pandemic.  The overall aim of this study is to use the knowledge that we gain from this study to develop better interventions for emotion dysregulation and depression in older people.  We are enrolling participants with and without a history of depression.  

Learn More: https://www.maca-lab.com/participate

MACALAB@stonybrookmedicine.edu


Guanfacine to reduce relapse risk in women with problem alcohol use

If you are a woman aged 18-60 years old and are having problems with alcohol, you may be eligible to participate in a medication research study at Stony Brook University. The study will consist of 10 weeks of free outpatient treatment for alcohol use. Volunteers may be paid up to $600 for participation. All information collected will be held confidential.

For more information, please call 631-241-4072 or email: FL.research@stonybrookmedicine.edu


Memory and Aging Brain Imaging Study

If you are 50 and older and have not smoked in the past year, we invite you to participate in a brain imaging study at Stony Brook Medicine. Volunteers with and without memory problems, including those with Alzheimer’s disease are eligible. Participation includes up to three free Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans and one free Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan. Cognitive (thinking) tests will be given during the study and every six months following imaging for two years. You will be paid up to $680 if you are eligible and complete the study. 

Learn More

If you are interested in participating, please contact study coordinator at Call: 631-638-HELP (638-4357) Text: 716-4BRIGHT (427-4448)

Email: imaging.study@stonybrookmedicine.edu  


Neurocircuitry of clinical insight predicting relapse outcomes in opioid addiction

The Multi-Modal Translational Imaging (MMTI) Lab is looking for right-handed volunteers aged 18-55 with a current or past DSM-5 Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and/or ongoing use of medication-assisted treatment for OUD (e.g. Suboxone, Methadone, etc.) to participate in a brain imaging research study. This study is looking to increase knowledge about the role of “insight” in the addiction to heroin and opioids. We believe that long-term use of such substances changes how the brain works and, therefore, effects “insight” and contributes to how willing people are to enter and stay in treatment. Participation in this study takes about 6-7 visits to complete, spread across a 6-month span. Tasks include surveys and questionnaires, a physical exam (with vital signs, blood draw, urine testing, pregnancy testing, & ECG), confidential interviews, cognitive testing and behavioral tasks, and two MRI scans. If you qualify, you will be compensated up to $440 for completing all study procedures. Participation in this study may result in eligibility for an additional paid study in our lab.

To learn more about our research, please click on the study title link above, visit our website at https://www.mmtilab.org/, contact us via email at mmtilab.sbu@gmail.com, or phone call at (631) 495-5441.


Screening Protocol for Brain Imaging Studies in Schizophrenia

The Multi-Modal Translational Imaging (MMTI) Lab is looking for volunteers aged 18-65 with a diagnosis or symptoms of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder to participate in brain imaging research studies (PET and/or MRI). The initial screening involves up to 3 visits in about a one-week period, these visits involve confidential interviews and a physical exam (with blood/urine collection & ECG). You will be compensated up to $50 for the interviews and $30 for the physical exam. Participation in this study may result in eligibility for several additional paid PET and/or MRI studies.

To learn more about our research, please click on the study title link above, visit our website at https://www.mmtilab.org/, contact us via email at mmtilab.sbu@gmail.com, or phone call at (631) 495-5441.


Treating depression using an FDA-approved anti-inflammatory (nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drug, NSAID)

If you are suffering from depression and between the ages of 18 and 65, you may be eligible for a brain imaging research study at Stony Brook Medicine. The study involves Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain. PET and MRI brain imaging is performed before and after 8 weeks of NSAID treatment. This medication is FDA approved as an anti-inflammatory (not as an antidepressant), but may be effective to treat depression, especially if other treatments have failed. You will be screened for eligibility by phone, in-person and/or by video. You will be paid up to $480 if you are eligible and complete the study.

Learn more

If you are interested in participating, please contact our study coordinator at

Call: 631-638-HELP (631-638-4357) Text: 716-4BRIGHT (716-427-4448)

Email: imaging.study@stonybrookmedicine.edu


Pediatric Imaging: Measuring Neuromelanin Trajectories (PIGMENT)

We are conducting a research study for adolescents and their parents called the PIGMENT study. PIGMENT stands for Pediatric Imaging: Measuring Neuromelanin Trajectories. It is a research study focusing on teenagers ages 15-16 years old. It would involve your child visiting our campus three times over three years for a few hours each time, along with one parent or legal guardian, and both child and parent/guardian are paid for their time. For the teen, the visit will involve an interview about their emotional well-being, surveys about their personality and daily life, and an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging). The participating parent/guardian would also complete surveys. All answers are kept completely confidential. The teen can receive up to $710 if they complete all three visits (plus any money and gift cards they win during the study) and their parent/guardian would be paid a total of $40.00. We hope the information we gather can eventually help psychologists to provide better guidance for teenagers and their families, and educators to design better school programs.


Post-COVID Brain Inflammation Study

If you are 60 years or older and have been experiencing memory/cognitive problems for longer than six months after COVID infection, we invite you to participate in this imaging study (PET & MRI). If you are 60 years or older and have no history of COVID infection or memory/cognitive problems, you still may participate in the control group of this study. This will involve cognitive testing and blood sampling. And there will be one or two visits for PET and MRI scans. Participants will be compensated up to $280 for all parts completed.

If you are interested, please contact research assistant Daniella Taboada at: (631) 820- 7126.

Email: Daniella.taboada@stonybrookmedicine.edu