Brain and health tracking for children at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Official title: 8/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT CHLA
Funded at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · NIH-11362895 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows thousands of children over many years to learn how their brains, behavior, and health change from late childhood into young adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2015 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $8,114,423 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DA041048-11S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362895 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families with children who were around 9–10 years old at enrollment (and who can attend visits at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and complete MRI and follow-up surveys) are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Adults who were not enrolled as children or people unwilling to undergo MRI, give basic samples, or share health and behavior information are unlikely to benefit directly from joining.
What this research studies
If your child takes part, they would get a detailed baseline visit that includes brain MRI, thinking and behavior tests, health measures, and questionnaires about family, school, and activities. Follow-up visits repeat the detailed assessment every two years, with shorter annual check-ins and phone or app surveys in between so we can track changes over time. The effort aims to keep most kids involved through adolescence, and the site coordinates data with other centers around the country. Participation can include giving biological samples and sharing information about sleep, screen time, substance use, and emotional health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could help identify what supports healthy brain development and point to early signs for preventing or treating mental health and substance-use problems.
How similar studies have gone: Large, long-term child development cohorts have produced important findings about brain and behavior, and ABCD is one of the largest and most comprehensive efforts of its kind.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sowell, Elizabeth R — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Sowell, Elizabeth R
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.