A new online brain-scan-style tool to spot early psychosis risk
Official title: 2/5 CAPER Computerized assessment of psychosis risk
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11590585 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new online-based set of tasks and a computer model aims to identify people at high risk for developing psychosis earlier and more accurately.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2020 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $236,055 |
| NIH project number | 7R01MH120088-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11590585 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at clinical high risk for psychosis, help-seeking individuals with attenuated symptoms, and healthy controls for comparison.
✕Less likely to help
People not at risk or not participating in online screening may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops a psychosis symptom domain sensitive battery that can be taken over the internet, with machine-learning to create a risk calculator. It focuses on individuals at clinical high risk, help-seeking people, and healthy controls across multiple sites to compare data. The goal is to improve early identification and potentially guide timely follow-up care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to faster, more accurate early screening and targeted interventions for those at risk of psychosis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows early identification is possible but with limited specificity; this study tests a novel, internet-based, machine-learning approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mittal, Vijay a — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Mittal, Vijay a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
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-
Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
A human-facing study will look at how psychotic disorders present and respond to treatment in adults from Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings, using genetic and clinical data.
-
Genetic clues for early-onset psychosis in Latino youth
This project looks at the genes of young people with early-onset psychosis and compares them with similar youths without psychosis to find genetic factors that contribute to the illness.
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Computational analysis of facial expression in early psychosis
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Mental Wellness Coordinated Care for Young People with Untreated Psychosis in Mozambique
A program in Mozambique aims to bring early, coordinated care for adolescents and young adults with new psychosis, using evidence-based services to reduce symptoms and improve functioning.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.