Clinical trials

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic and often treatment-resistant psychiatric condition that emerges following exposure to trauma and is characterized by intrusive thoughts, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive impairments. In Israel, the prevalence of PTSD has increased significantly in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, emphasizing the urgent need for more effective, accessible, and personalized interventions. Existing treatments, such as trauma-focused CBT and SSRIs, remain only partially effective, with side effects that reduce adherence and limit long-term recovery. The proposed randomized controlled trial will assess and compare two promising treatment modalities: (i) a new pharmacological combination of reboxetine and methylphenidate, designed to enhance noradrenergic and dopaminergic pathways involved in attention and emotional regulation, and (ii) dog-assisted therapy (DAT), a non-pharmacological, group-based intervention shown to reduce PTSD symptoms and improve functioning. One hundred sixty adults with PTSD will be randomized into four groups: pharmacological treatment, placebo, DAT, or occupational therapy. The study will use validated clinical scales (CAPS-5, GAD-7, CAARS, DLQ, WHOQOLBREF) alongside neurophysiological tools (EEG, EDA, ASAT-based EMG). Data will feed into a machine-learning model to identify predictors of treatment response and support the development of personalized, neurobiologically informed approaches.

Up-to-date, no studies have examined the attentional, sensory and emotional processing (difficulties) among patients diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition, the efficiency of drug treatments that focus on the noradrenergic and dopaminergic, and thus influence attention processing and PTSD symptoms through these pathways, have only briefly been investigated. There is well-established and long-standing evidence for the involvement of dopamine and noradrenaline in attentional function. This previously led to an investigation by the investigator's research lab in which the investigators hypothesized the involvement of an attentional disorder would influence PTSD symptoms in a rat model. Based on these results, the current study aims to characterize attentional deficits in patients with PTSD, as well as the correlation between attention, emotional regulation and sensory processing. The investigators do this partially by conducting a case-control study and through a subsequent double-blind RCT (with only the cases). The patients will be either treated with reboxetine + methylphenidate or placebo.

This randomized controlled trial evaluates an AI-based parental simulation designed to support reflective parenting, emotional regulation, and parent-child communication among parents of autistic children aged 3 to 12 years. A total of 140 parents will be recruited through an external online survey platform and randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will complete baseline questionnaires, engage with the AI-based simulation, and then complete post-intervention measures. The control group will complete baseline and post-assessment measures before receiving access to the simulation.

Background: The main speech organ that affects the pronunciation of the various vowels is the tongue. The relationships between posture and voice, and between the position of the tongue at rest and posture, have been proven, but the relationship between pronunciation and posture has not yet been proven. The rationale for examining this relationship is that the imbalance and differing loads in poor neck and head posture cause different muscular arrangements of the muscles that support the jaw, tongue, and neck, which will thus affect pronunciation. Objectives: To examine the relationship between posture, tongue position, and the correct pronunciation in subjects with and without pronunciation disorders. In addition, to examine the effect of a muscle strengthening program on these characteristics. Methods: The study will include two parts. The first part will be a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire to examine speech therapists' perceptions of the relationship and importance of posture and pronunciation. The second part will include a prospective interventional clinical study to examine the relationship between tongue position at rest and pronunciation, posture, and muscle strength. In addition, the effect of adding muscle-strengthening training to conventional pronunciation therapy on the process of acquiring correct pronunciation will be examined.

This study aims to identify ankle structural and functional profiles associated with sensory responsiveness and toe walking in adults with ASD. Expected outcomes include detecting group differences between adults with ASD and matched controls and identifying associations among sensory responsiveness, toe-walking status, and objective ankle measures.

This study will explore the mechanisms of change that are activated when individuals receive a treatment that targets their weakness and the mechanisms activated when the treatment capitalize on their strength. Patients will be assigned to one of two types of psychotherapies in treating people with a major depression disorder, expressive-supportive vs. emotion-focused treatment. Their ability to benefit from treatment based on their pre-treatment levels of insight and emotional processing will be examined. This is a four-month protocol, with a 2 year follow up period.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a self-guided online Radical Acceptance program helps reduce symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder. The study will also compare this program to an online relaxation skills program. The main questions are: * Does the Radical Acceptance program lower symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder? * Is the Radical Acceptance program more helpful than relaxation skills? Adults with Social Anxiety Disorder will be randomly assigned to one of two online programs. They will complete a baseline learning session and six short home practice sessions over two weeks. Participants will answer surveys about their symptoms and complete brief computer tasks. Researchers will measure changes in social anxiety at several points during the study and again a few weeks and a few months later.

This study explores an intervention to support people in Israel who are living with chronic health conditions such as cancer or after kidney transplantation. It focuses on a well-known international program called the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), which was developed at Stanford University. The program helps individuals build confidence and skills to better manage their health, feel more in control, and improve their day-to-day quality of life. Participants will take part in a six-week group program, delivered online, where they will learn practical strategies for managing symptoms like fatigue or pain, setting achievable health goals, communicating effectively with healthcare professionals, and staying active and engaged. The sessions are guided by trained facilitators and include support from others facing similar health challenges. The study will involve surveys before and after the program, as well as a follow-up six months later, to understand how the program may have helped participants. Some participants will also be invited to share their experiences in small discussion groups. By testing this program in Israel, the researchers hope to learn how it can be adapted and offered more widely to help others living with chronic conditions.

Somatic symptoms, including physical pain, are highly prevalent among mental health patients. Current treatments have limited effectiveness for these symptoms, primarily because of patients' diminished introspective capacity and lack of emotional awareness. The current study proposes pain acceptance training as a new intervention. This intervention relies on the tenets of dialectical thinking, particularly on maintaining a dialectic perspective - at once acknowledging both the desire to end the pain and the ability to accept it as it is. We aim to examine the following: (1) the efficacy of pain acceptance training in the alleviation of somatic pain in patients with somatic symptoms; (2) the role of dialectical thinking as a mediator of pain acceptance training efficacy.

assessment of the musculoskeletal system will be performed twice a year, for three years of young dancers

This study aims to establish synchrony as an individual-specific mechanism of therapeutic change and offers novel insights into the mechanisms of curative interpersonal processes. The study identifies individual-specific trait-like synchrony signature and investigates the associations between synchrony signature, the individual's trait-like characteristics, and mental health, among participants diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. The study further investigates how deterministic the trait-like synchrony signature is by identifying for whom, how, and when changes are anticipated. Additionally, it examines whether synchrony signature transfers to relationships with the therapist, whether and how it changes throughout treatment, and whether such potential changes are associated with improvements in mental health. Synchrony is recognized as a key driver of collaborative, affiliative, and curative relationships. While its potential role in improving mental health through interpersonal relationships has sparked growing interest, particularly in psychotherapy, the field is at a crossroads, with mixed findings challenging the widespread theoretical assumption that "more synchrony is better." This study introduces a personalized framework that emphasizes individual-specific synchrony signatures, shifting from generalized assumptions to tailored understanding and interventions. The study explores how synchrony can transform relationships into curative ones by leveraging individual-tailored changes in synchrony signatures in psychotherapy. The potential impact is vast. Tailoring synchrony to individual-specific signatures represents a paradigm shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to personalized interventions. This personalized framework could revolutionize mental health care by facilitating the development of targeted strategies that enhance treatment outcomes.

Background: Most amputees experience phantom limb pain (PLP), for years after amputation. Virtually all PLP research to date has focused on the mechanisms of chronic PLP, ignoring the mechanisms of chronification. This research project will focus on combined neuromodulatory interventions of mirror therapy (MT) and trans direct-cranial stimulation (tDCS), applied for the first time at the acute state of PLP, with an aim to prevent its chronification and chronicity. In PLP, maladaptive plasticity associated with sensory deafferentation following an amputation is one of the contributors for excessive pain. MT is a well-accepted yet limited option, which is thought to counterbalance abnormal plasticity. tDCS is an emerging approach believed to affect the membrane potential and activity threshold of cortical neurons. tDCS analgesic effectiveness, however, is mild and short, rendering it a noneffective stand-alone treatment. The researchers' objectives are to investigate whether the combined therapy of MT and tDCS will prevent chronic PLP and improve its related clinical characteristics. In addition, the researchers will investigate the behavioral manifestations effects of the combined treatment. The investigators expect that the combined treatment applied at the acute stage of PLP will have synergistic effects on PLP intensity and thus avert its chronification. In addition, it will reduce phantom sensations, and negative affect, and will improve the sense of body ownership and agency and endogenous inhibition efficiency. Research design: This randomized-controlled double-blinded study will be held at Israel's 3 largest rehabilitation centers. The study consists of 3 randomized patient arms (36 in each): (1) no-intervention, natural-course group; (2) MT + sham tDCS; (3) MT + real tDCS. MT and tDCS neuromodulatory interferences will be self-administered and consist of 20 sessions, completed during 4 weeks. The researchers outcome measures include: primary outcome: pain intensity, network-related behavioral markers, and amputation-related clinical characteristics. The data gathered will be collected at 5 timepoints. Research novelty and innovation: The researchers proposed model will provide insights on the prevention of PLP and, potentially, other neurological pathologies involving the dysfunction of sensory systems and integration and body perception.

This study aims to examine the perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge of physical therapists regarding the integration of emotional support into the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. It further aims to determine the patients perceptions of their own rehabilitation needs, what motivates them and what acts as barriers to their motivation. Lastly, it aims to explore the physical therapists perceptions as to what enhances or hinders patients motivation for rehabilitation success.

This study aims to explore how young adults, older adults and people with Parkinson's disease (PwP), perceive their abilty to cross obstacles while walking, and how this perception is related to their actual performance of obstacle crossing and disease-related motor and cognitive impairments. The study will explore this percepeption and the actual performance in different walking environments(floor, synthetic grass turf). Understanding how people perceive obstacles may help improve rehabilitation methods and reduce the risk of falls. The study will take place at the Motor Performance Laboratory, University of Haifa, and will include walking tasks, eye-tracking measurements, and motor and cognitive assessments.

This study aim to create a multidimensional body of knowledge on the factors influencing physiotherapy graduates in Israel in choosing a workplace, satisfaction with the chosen framework, and intergenerational differences in these factors. In addition, to examine the relationship between the factors for choosing a professional career in physiotherapy and choosing a workplace

The primary aim of this clinical trial is to enhance open and secure communication within the family, strengthen the parent-child bond, and reinforce feelings of safety and stability, and strengthen family resilience. In addition,the investigators want to assess the effectiveness of a short-term therapeutic workshop in enhancing reflective functioning, beliefs about the malleability of emotions, the reported use of effective emotional regulation strategies, and the perceived parental self-efficacy and child behavior.

Background: Interactions between parents and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) tend to be directive and didactic lacking in playfulness and enjoyment. Recent research has shown that parents of children with IDD who engage in more playful, creative, and enjoyable interactions tend to foster more positive relationships with their children. Early interventions have been shown to enhance parent-child interactions and promote cognitive and socio-emotional development in children with IDD. Objectives: This mixed-methods randomized controlled trial (RCT) study aims to develop a manualized dyadic Creative-Art-Therapies (CAT)-based intervention for children with IDD and their mothers and assess and explore its effects on the quality of the mother-child interaction and relationship. Methods: This mixed-methods RCT will investigate and compare two conditions: experimental dyadic CAT-based intervention for children with IDD and their mothers and control psycho-educational counseling intended for mothers only. The sample will consist of sixty dyads of children with IDD between the ages of 3-7 and their mothers, who will be randomly assigned either to experimental or control condition. The experimental group (n=30) will receive 8 weekly individual dyadic CAT-based intervention meetings at their homes and involve both the child and the mother, and the control group (n=30) will receive 8 weekly individual psycho-educational counseling meetings online via Zoom and involve the mother only.

The study will administer an intervention called strategy training to adult stroke survivors living in the community who do and do not have pets, and will examine the role of a pet in promoting cognitive performance and community participation outcomes.

Taking part in community activities is essential for health and well-being. Yet, it is highly restricted for young people with Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophies (DBMD), especially as they grow into adulthood. The Participation Pathways and Resources for Engagement and Participation (PREP) intervention is designed to help remove barriers in the environment. This study aims to see if the PREP intervention is useful and practical for youth and young adults with DBMD. The main question is: How useful is the PREP intervention for improving participation in community-based activities chosen by the participants? Participants will start the study at different times (4, 5, or 6 weeks) and work one-on-one with an occupational therapist on a leisure activity of their choice. They will have eight sessions over 12 to 18 weeks to work on this activity. They will use the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) every week to track their performance and satisfaction with the chosen activity before, during, and after the intervention. The findings of this study can guide clinicians, families, and policymakers to select effective approaches that promote the participation of youth and young adults with DBMD in 'real world' activities they choose. It can also increase motivation and compliance and reduce the burden on the healthcare system, families, and people with DBMD themselves.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about Maternal Reflective Function (MRF) during the transition to motherhood. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does MRF mediates the connection between risk factors for mental health difficulties during first pregnancy and motherhood (the transition to motherhood) and outcomes related to the mother, the infant, and their relationship. Participants will: Answer questionnaires and clinical interviews during pregnancy and after birth of the first child (twice at third trimester, 1 and 3 months after birth). intervention group will participate in an online short intervention to enhance MRF.

The aim of this proposal is to identify immune biomarkers, genetic risk, and the clinical consequences of low count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (LC MBL), a common premalignant condition affecting up to 17% of European adults age\>40. LC MBL is a precursor to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), characterized by a circulating population of clonal B-cells. It is relatively understudied, despite emerging evidence of clinical consequences such as increased risk for life-threatening infections and lymphoid malignancies. Studies reported that male sex, age, family history of CLL, and CLL-susceptibility genetic loci were associated with LC MBL risk. These findings were reported in European ancestry individuals and have not been generalized to other thnicities. This study will provide this missing knowledge using a unique multi-ethnic Israeli population of Jews and Arabs that have one of the highest and lowest age-standardized incidence rates of CLL in the world, respectively, and characterized with different genetic backgrounds.

This study investigates families with at least two cases of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD), and evaluates the prevalence of LPD in families, the relationship between medical history, genetic factors, and the risk of familial LPD, and various clinical outcomes for these families in a multiethnic population of Jews and Arabs in Israel.