Predicting adolescent self-harm risk using brain scans in a large pediatric study
Official title: Multimodal Neuroimaging Predictors of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in the ABCD Study
Funded at Monash University · NIH-11380909 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to use brain MRI patterns from kids in a big study to identify early signs that some youths may later engage in non-suicidal self-injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Monash University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melbourne, Australia) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $278,506 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH132920-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380909 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged 9-10 at baseline from the ABCD study who may later develop NSSI.
✕Less likely to help
Adolescents or families not participating in the ABCD cohort or those without future NSSI risk signals identified by brain patterns.
What this research studies
This project will analyze multimodal MRI data from the ABCD study, focusing on how brain networks involved in emotion processing and self-regulation relate to later non-suicidal self-injury in youths aged around 9 to 10 at baseline. Researchers will compare youth who develop NSSI two or more years after baseline with matched peers who do not, exploring brain activity and network integrity in the salience and cognitive control networks. The goal is to find neural markers that could help identify at-risk individuals early, informing prevention strategies and potential interventions. The study uses existing imaging data and longitudinal follow-up to examine brain-behavior relationships over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help clinicians recognize early brain-based risk signals and tailor prevention efforts for adolescents.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked brain networks to emotion regulation and risk behaviors, with newer studies suggesting potential imaging markers, though predictive accuracy for NSSI remains an active area.
Where this research is happening
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Monash University
Melbourne, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jenkins, Lisanne Michelle — Monash University
- Study coordinator: Jenkins, Lisanne Michelle
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.