Jump to all Fonzo Lab studies
Threat Reward Interactions in Post-Trauma Psychopathology (TRIPP)
ReEMBARC Study
Psychotherapy Effects on Reward Processing in PTSD (PERPP)
Jump to all UT Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy studies
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Prolonged Grief in Surviving Family Members
Ibogaine for Combat-Related Mental Health Issues in Special Operations Forces Veterans
Ayahuasca for PTSD in Combat Veterans
COMP006: Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Fonzo Lab Studies
Current Studies Now Recruiting!
Threat-Reward Interactions in Post-Trauma Psychopathology (TRIPP)
Funded by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF)
Two major components of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are heightened emotional responses to perceived threat and diminished ability to experience positive emotions in response to positive or rewarding experiences. The way in which the brain systems underlying threat and reward processing interact and influence one another to result in these emotional disturbances in PTSD is currently unknown.
The goal of this study is to understand how neurocircuitry function underlying threat and reward processing is impacted by the development of PTSD and how these changes relate to PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance to threat and diminished experience of positive emotions.
For this study we are currently looking for individuals who:
- experienced a trauma (e.g. assault, combat, car crash, etc.)
- are either mentally healthy OR are experiencing mental health difficulties (e.g. difficulty feeling happy, anxiety, etc.)
- are 18-50 years old, English-speaking, and right handed
- are NOT taking daily psychiatric medication and are NOT in regular PTSD-specific psychotherapy
- are NOT current regular daily nicotine/tobacco users
And want to participate in a paid research study involving brain scans in an MRI machine!
Individuals can be compensated up to $175 and can receive free images of their brain!
If you are interested please contact us at fonzolab@austin.utexas.edu or you can complete the initial screening form:
Initial Screening Form for TRIPP study
We will then contact you via e-mail and inform you of your potential eligibility.
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Re-EMBARC Study
Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health
Major depressive disorder (MDD), characterized by sustained negative mood, is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of more than 20%. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the disease and developing treatments, much is still not known about the underlying pathophysiology, and rates of recurrence remain high. So far, antidepressants have been an essential treatment for MDD. However, studies have indicated that medication treatment can be successful for one patient and unsuccessful in another patient with an identical diagnosis. Thus, it is critical to transform the one-size-fits-all treatment approach into a personalized approach that tailors treatment to the individual patient. Identification of informative signatures from neuroimaging may help identify treatment-predictive signatures, which will reduce the need for multiple drug trials and enhance treatment efficacy.
The overall objective of this study is to establish treatment-predictive brain signatures that will help with treatment selection in depression.
For this study we are currently looking for individuals who:
- are between the ages of 18 and 65
- have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, have experienced major depression, AND/OR are currently having symptoms of depression (with or without anxiety)
- are fluent in English
- are willing to undergo MRI and EEG procedures
- are willing to take an FDA-approved, once-daily medication (sertraline, trade name Zoloft) for treating depression
- can visit the laboratory several times over the course of 8 to 10 weeks
If you are interested in more information, please contact us! Individuals can earn up to $550 for participation in the study. Those eligible to participate in the MRI portion can receive free images of their brain!
If you are interested please contact us at fonzolab@austin.utexas.edu or you can complete the initial screening form:
Initial Screening Form for Re-EMBARC study Please use the referral code: SERT
We will then contact you via e-mail and inform you of your potential eligibility.
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Psychotherapy Effects on Reward Processing in PTSD (PERPP)
Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health
Close to 80% of individuals will experience a lifetime traumatic event, and a subset of them will go on to develop post-trauma psychopathology, which typically manifests as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or major depressive disorder. One manifestation of both PTSD and MDD is the reduced capacity for experiencing positive emotions (diminished positive affect), and greater reductions in this capacity are associated with a worse course of illness, greater disability, and poorer response to treatments. Diminished positive affect is clinically-relevant in PTSD and not well-targeted with existing treatments. The neurobiological processes underlying these decreases in positive affect are understudied, which leaves gaps in our understanding of how diminished positive emotion influences the treatment of PTSD and is improved by PTSD treatment.
The purpose of this study is to identify how trauma-focused psychotherapy (in the form of Cognitive Processing Therapy) changes the function of brain circuitry in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how this mediates improvements in the diminished ability to experience positive emotions following a traumatic or extremely stressful life event.
For this study we are currently looking for individuals who:
- have experienced a traumatic event and have been diagnosed with PTSD or believe they may be suffering from PTSD
- are 18-65 years old and English-speaking
- are NOT taking daily psychiatric medication and are NOT in regular PTSD-specific psychotherapy
- are willing and able to undergo fMRI on two different occasions
- can attend in-person 50min therapy sessions twice a week over the course of 6-8 weeks, and complete out-of-session written assignments
If you are interested in more information, please contact us! Participants will receive 12 sessions of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) at no cost and financial compensation up to $900. All participants also receive free pictures of their brain!
If you are interested please contact us at fonzolab@austin.utexas.edu or you can complete the initial screening form:
Initial Screening Form for PERPP study Please use the referral code: PERPP
We will then contact you via e-mail and inform you of your potential eligibility.
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The Fonzo Lab is proud to be affiliated with UT Dell Medical School’s
Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy.
The Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin aims to advance the application of psychedelics for the treatment of mental health disorders through impactful clinical research.
Additionally, the center — the first of its kind in Texas — looks to improve the health of those suffering from severe depression, anxiety and PTSD through psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and research focused heavily on military veterans and adults affected by early childhood trauma.
The Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is currently seeking individuals to participate in a paid research study that examines brain responses and how they may be altered following a course of treatment including psilocybin or 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine (5-MeO DMT) along with psychotherapy in surviving first-degree female family members (wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters). We hope to learn more about how brain function is influenced by psychedelic assisted therapy and how this may impact psychiatric symptoms related to the loss of a loved one. This study is being conducted in conjunction with our partner organization, The Awakening Hearts Community. Eligible individuals will participate in a psychedelic-assisted therapy retreat sponsored by The Mission Within at a specialized retreat site. Expenses for the retreat will be covered by outside funds.
You may qualify for this study if you are:
- Female, over the age of 18, and fluent in English
- Are currently experiencing mental health difficulties related to the death of a family member
- Meet the criteria for prolonged grief
- Are not pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or claustrophobic
- Are willing and able to undergo fMRI brain scans and EEG
- Are willing to travel to the Austin, TX Dell Med facility for fMRI scans and EEG measurements
- Transportation and hotels at Austin will be covered, as will incidental expenses for meals and ground transportation
If you are interested in more information, please contact us, or consent to allowing us to contact you! Individuals can earn up to $925 for participation in this study and will additionally be provided two all expenses paid trips to beautiful Austin, TX! This is a prime opportunity to contribute to providing better mental health treatment to bereaved spouses of military service members.
If you would like to participate, the first step would be to complete a brief online questionnaire. To best serve you, please use the referral code: HHP when prompted by our online questionnaire. The questionnaire can be accessed at this url: https://tiny.cc/UT2020 or by CLICKING HERE.
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Ibogaine for Combat-Related Mental Health Issues in Special Operations Forces Veterans
The Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is currently seeking individuals to participate in a paid research study that examines brain responses and how they may be altered following a course of ibogaine treatment in special operations forces veterans, such as Navy SEALS. We hope to learn more about how brain function is influenced by ibogaine treatment and how this may impact psychiatric symptoms related to combat-related mental health issues, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. This study is being conducted in conjunction with our partner organization, The Mission Within. Eligible individuals will participate in a ibogaine retreat at a specialized retreat site located in Mexico. Expenses for the retreat will be covered by outside funds.
You may qualify for this study if you are:
- Over the age of 18, and fluent in English
- Are a special operations forces veteran, e.g., Navy SEAL or Army Ranger
- Are currently experiencing mental health difficulties related to combat exposure
- Are not pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or claustrophobic
- Are willing and able to undergo fMRI brain scans and EEG
- Are willing to travel to the Austin, TX Dell Med facility for fMRI scans and EEG measurements
- Transportation and hotels at Austin will be covered, as will incidental expenses for meals and ground transportation
If you are interested in more information, please contact us, or consent to allowing us to contact you! Individuals can earn up to $1075 for participation in this study and will additionally be provided two all expenses paid trips to beautiful Austin, TX! This is a prime opportunity to contribute to providing better mental health treatment to veterans and military service members.
If you would like to participate, the first step would be to complete a brief online questionnaire. To best serve you, please use the referral code: IBO when prompted by our online questionnaire. The questionnaire can be accessed at this url: https://tiny.cc/UT2020 or by CLICKING HERE.
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Ayahuasca for PTSD in Combat Veterans
The Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is currently seeking individuals to participate in a paid research study that examines brain responses and how they may be altered following a course of ayahuasca treatment in combat veterans. We hope to learn more about how brain function is influenced by ayahuasca treatment and how this may impact psychiatric symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder. This study is being conducted in conjunction with our partner organization, The Heroic Hearts Project. Eligible individuals will participate in an ayahuasca retreat sponsored by The Heroic Hearts Project at a specialized retreat site located in Mexico. Expenses for the retreat will be covered by outside funds.
You may qualify for this study if you are:
- Over the age of 18, and fluent in English
- Are a combat veteran
- Are currently experiencing PTSD symptoms within the last month
- Are not pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or claustrophobic
- Are willing and able to undergo fMRI brain scans and EEG
- Are willing to travel to the Austin, TX Dell Med facility for fMRI scans and EEG measurements
- Transportation and hotels at Austin will be covered, as will incidental expenses for meals and ground transportation
If you are interested in more information, please contact us, or consent to allowing us to contact you! Individuals can earn up to $1100 for participation in this study and will additionally be provided two all expenses paid trips to beautiful Austin, TX! This is a prime opportunity to contribute to providing better mental health treatment to veterans and military service members.
If you would like to participate, the first step would be to complete a brief online questionnaire. To best serve you, please use the referral code: AYA when prompted by our online questionnaire. The questionnaire can be accessed at this url: https://tiny.cc/UT2020 or by CLICKING HERE.
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COMP006 Study
The Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is currently seeking individuals to participate in an investigational treatment study. This study hopes to learn more about how psilocybin alongside psychological support works as an investigational treatment approach for treatment-resistant depression. Study participants will receive investigational treatment and follow-up care at no cost. Travel and study-related costs may be reimbursed.
You may be eligible to join the study if you:
- Are 18 years of age or older.
- Have been diagnosed with major depression and have not responded to antidepressants
Other criteria will need to be met to confirm your eligibility for this study, which will last up to 62 weeks.
You can find out more information by emailing psychclinicaltrials@austin.utexas.edu or by calling 512-495-5566! This is a prime opportunity to contribute to providing better mental health treatment to individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
If you would like to participate, the first step would be to complete a brief online questionnaire. To best serve you, please use the referral code: COMP006 when prompted by our online questionnaire. The questionnaire can be accessed at this url: https://tiny.cc/UTCPRT or by CLICKING HERE.