Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development at University of Maryland Baltimore
2/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UMB
['FUNDING_U01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · NIH-11302653
This project is following children who were 9–10 years old to learn how their brains, behavior, health, and experiences change as they grow into young adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11302653 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you take part, you and your child would get a thorough baseline visit with brain imaging (MRI), thinking and behavior tests, health measures, and biological samples, and similar detailed visits repeat every two years. The team also checks in with shorter annual in-person interviews and mid-year phone or app surveys to track changes and life events with less burden. The study combines these clinical, imaging, and survey data to link social experiences (like school or sports) and substance use with brain and behavioral development. The goal is long-term follow-up through adolescence into young adulthood to build a large, diverse picture of development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children who were about 9–10 years old at enrollment (and their parents/caregivers), particularly families who can attend visits at the Baltimore site, are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate medical treatment or therapy should not expect direct clinical benefit from joining this observational study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help doctors, families, and schools understand typical and atypical brain development and guide prevention or early support for mental health and substance-use risks.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier long-term brain imaging cohorts have produced important insights, and ABCD is larger and more comprehensive than previous efforts, making its approach well-established but uniquely powerful.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ERNST, THOMAS M — UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- Study coordinator: ERNST, THOMAS M
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 below.