CU Boulder site of a national brain and development program for children and teens
14/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at CU Boulder
['FUNDING_U01'] · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · NIH-11302650
Following children starting around age 9–10 to see how brain growth, mood, and things like alcohol or cannabis use relate to health during the teen years.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11302650 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would join a long-term project at CU Boulder that follows children who were about 9–10 years old into their teen years. At the first visits participants had state-of-the-art brain scans, thinking and memory tests, physical checks, and biological samples such as saliva or blood. The team asks about substance use, mood, school and social life, and uses phone or app check-ins every six months plus yearly in-person interviews to monitor changes. The site works hard to keep families involved so researchers can learn how early experiences and exposures relate to brain development and mental health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children around 9–10 years old and their caregivers who can attend in-person imaging and periodic follow-up visits at the CU Boulder site.
Not a fit: Adults, very young children outside the target age range, or people unable to come for repeated in-person visits or phone/app follow-ups would not benefit directly from joining this site.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors and families spot early patterns that raise risk for depression, anxiety, substance problems, or learning issues and guide better prevention or support.
How similar studies have performed: Previous brain-imaging cohort studies have linked teen substance use and life experiences to brain and behavior changes, but the ABCD consortium's large national sample and repeated follow-up make its approach more powerful and relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO — Boulder, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BANICH, MARIE T — UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- Study coordinator: BANICH, MARIE T
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.