Health Research

Lullabies may do more than help babies get to sleep when they’re cozy in their cribs at home. A new study led by Hannah Bush—a WVU School of Medicine researcher—found that lullabies performed live by a licensed music therapist may alleviate the pain and anxiety of pediatric patients in critical care. Her study is the first to focus on live music intervention for children—rather than adults—on life support.

Aging in Appalachia doesn’t need to be what it’s perceived to be: Long commute times for quality healthcare and high rates of diabetes, depression and every other disease under the sun.

Although strokes can occur no matter how old you are, your risk for one increases as you age. About two-thirds of the people hospitalized for one are at least 65 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Yet historically, most stroke studies involving animal models have focused on young test subjects, not older ones.

Characterizing an autism patient’s behavior can be challenging, but these West Virginia University researchers aim to make identification easier by conducting the first systematic study toward autism spectrum disorder phenotyping using behavior-tracking technology.

Undergraduate researchers at West Virginia University will spend the next year pursuing projects in enzymes and fungi— research that could ultimately help people with chronic diseases and develop new pharmaceuticals.

Because injecting drugs increases someone’s risk of getting hepatitis C or HIV, the surge of the viruses in West Virginia is bound up with the opioid crisis. To address this problem, WVU researcher Judith Feinberg is working to integrate services for opioid use disorder, hepatitis C and HIV in 20 primary care clinics across the state. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded the project more than $6.6 million.

In the months that follow, after the recovery crews have packed up and gone home, hopelessness and isolation set in for many disaster victims. These are the times when mental health support is needed most, according to a West Virginia University researcher.

About 90% of Americans who need treatment for a substance use disorder don’t get it. West Virginia University researchers have developed a program that allows people who have already walked the path of substance use disorder through recovery to be their guides to a healthier life.

The vast majority of people who overdose on an opioid will survive the experience. Yet scientists know little about how nonfatal overdoses affect the brain and cognition. WVU School of Medicine researchers Erin Winstanley and James Mahoney systematically reviewed journal articles that examined the topic. Overall, the studies supported a link between overdose, brain abnormalities and cognitive impairment, but more research—with more precision—is needed. Their findings appear in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Heath Damron and his colleagues at WVU are continuing to evaluate the nasal mist vaccine against currently circulating strains including the delta variant. The team is looking for commercial partners to help facilitate production at scale and further clinical evaluation.