Finding early brain signs of psychosis in adolescents and young people

Discovering prognostic neuroimaging biomarkers of the psychosis spectrum using network control theory

NIH-funded research Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11141673

This work uses brain scans and computer models to find early brain patterns that could signal future psychosis in adolescents and young adults.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11141673 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be part of research that analyzes large collections of brain scans taken over time from adolescents and young adults to spot patterns that appear before psychosis symptoms. Scientists will apply network neuroscience and machine learning to map how different brain regions communicate and how those connections change during development. The project combines multiple existing longitudinal and cross-sectional neuroimaging datasets and examines sex differences in development. The aim is to find brain markers that might flag higher risk years before full symptoms develop.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents and young adults who are at clinical high risk for psychosis or have early, emerging psychosis and who can contribute to longitudinal imaging or clinical data.

Not a fit: People without any risk for psychosis or older adults with long-standing schizophrenia are unlikely to benefit directly from these early-development biomarkers.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify young people at higher risk for psychosis earlier so they can get closer monitoring or preventive care.

How similar studies have performed: Previous imaging and machine-learning work has identified risk-related brain differences, but combining network control theory with large longitudinal datasets is a relatively new and less-tested approach.

Where this research is happening

Newark, 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 2026-06-10 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.