Long-term brain and health tracking for children and teens in Milwaukee
Official title: 11/21 ABCD-USA Consortium: Research Project Site at UWM
Funded at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee · NIH-11302694 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Following children starting at age 9–10 into their teens and early adulthood to learn how their brains, health, behaviors, and life experiences change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,185,731 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DA041025-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11302694 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children around 9–10 years old (and their caregivers) who can attend periodic visits at the Milwaukee site and complete imaging and interviews.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the target age range, those with contraindications to MRI, or families unwilling to participate in follow-up visits are unlikely to receive direct benefit from joining.
What this research studies
This project follows a large, diverse group of children who received detailed baseline tests including brain MRI, thinking and memory tests, bio-samples, and questions about health, substance use, and family and school life. Participants return for in-person, in-depth visits every two years with shorter annual interviews and mobile app check-ins in between. The Milwaukee site is one of 21 across the country working to keep families involved through adolescence and into young adulthood. The goal is to track how experiences and biology interact so researchers can better understand mental health, substance use, and learning over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors, schools, and families spot risks earlier and design better prevention and supports for youth mental health, substance use, and learning challenges.
How similar studies have gone: Prior longitudinal brain-imaging cohort studies have yielded useful insights, and ABCD is larger and more detailed than earlier efforts.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lisdahl, Krista Maurine — University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Study coordinator: Lisdahl, Krista Maurine
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.