Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) program at University of Rochester

16/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER

NIH-funded research University of Rochester · NIH-11301914

Following the brain, behavior, and health of a diverse group of children who were 9–10 years old to learn how growing up affects their development.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Rochester NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Rochester, United States)
Project IDNIH-11301914 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, your child would have a thorough baseline visit including brain MRI, thinking and behavior tests, biological samples, and questions about health, substance use, and their environment. Detailed follow-up visits happen every two years with shorter annual interviews and phone or mobile app check-ins in between. The project follows nearly 12,000 children who started at age 9–10 and tracks their development through adolescence into young adulthood. The goal is to keep families involved over time so researchers can link life experiences to brain and health changes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are children who were enrolled at about age 9–10 (and their families) or local families willing to take part in ongoing follow-up visits at or near the University of Rochester.

Not a fit: People without children in the eligible age range or those unable or unwilling to attend in-person visits (or seeking experimental treatments) are unlikely to get direct benefit from joining.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This work could help doctors and families understand healthy and at-risk brain development in youth, guiding better prevention and care for mental and physical health as kids grow.

How similar studies have performed: Large long-term brain imaging cohorts have already expanded understanding of adolescent development, and ABCD is one of the most comprehensive efforts that continues to produce new findings.

Where this research is happening

Rochester, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.