Preventing psychosis in people at high risk
Official title: ProNET: Psychosis-Risk Outcomes Network
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11493631 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using brain scans, genetics, blood tests, speech samples, and smartphone data to predict outcomes and guide care for people with early signs of psychosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $436,299 |
| NIH project number | 3U01MH124639-05SC |
| Project ID | NIH-11493631 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with clinical high-risk features for psychosis (recently emerging attenuated psychotic symptoms, functional decline, or similar risk signs) who can attend in-person visits and use a smartphone for monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have a diagnosed full psychotic disorder or those unable/unwilling to complete in-person scans, sample collection, or phone-based monitoring are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you take part, you would join over 1,000 people who show early warning signs of psychosis across a network of sites and be followed for two years. The project collects MRI and EEG brain scans, genetic and body-fluid samples, speech and language recordings, clinical interviews, and passive smartphone sensor and survey data at several visits. Healthy volunteers will provide comparison data. Participation typically involves clinic visits for scans and tests, providing samples, and using a phone app for short surveys and passive monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors predict which people are most likely to develop psychosis and tailor early, more personalized care.
How similar studies have gone: Smaller CHR cohorts have found promising biomarker signals but results have not reliably predicted outcomes at large scale, so this larger multi-site effort aims to improve reliability.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Woods, Scott W — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Woods, Scott W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
This project studies how psychotic disorders show up and respond to treatment in adults with diverse backgrounds, including populations in Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings.
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Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
A human-facing study will look at how psychotic disorders present and respond to treatment in adults from Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings, using genetic and clinical data.
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A new online brain-scan-style tool to spot early psychosis risk
A new online-based set of tasks and a computer model aims to identify people at high risk for developing psychosis earlier and more accurately.
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Genetic clues for early-onset psychosis in Latino youth
This project looks at the genes of young people with early-onset psychosis and compares them with similar youths without psychosis to find genetic factors that contribute to the illness.
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Biomarkers to tailor rehab for Veterans with schizophrenia
A clinician-scientist is developing a brain-based biomarker to guide personalized rehabilitation for Veterans with schizophrenia.
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Computational analysis of facial expression in early psychosis
Aims to develop computer-based measures of facial expression in people at risk for or with schizophrenia to help track symptoms and guide future trials.
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.