Tracking children's brain and health at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
8/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT CHLA
Following kids from late childhood through young adulthood to learn how their brains, behavior, and health change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302643 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would join a long-term project that follows participants from around age 9–10 through the teen years and into early adulthood. At the CHLA site, visits include MRI brain scans, thinking and memory tests, health and behavior questionnaires, and collection of biological samples, with full check-ups every two years. The team also does shorter yearly check-ins by phone or mobile app to capture life events and substance use with less burden. CHLA staff work to keep families involved so researchers can track how experiences like school, sports, and social life relate to brain development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Best suited for children who were enrolled around age 9–10 at the CHLA ABCD site (now adolescents/young adults) and their parents who can attend periodic follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People not enrolled in the ABCD cohort, unable to travel to Los Angeles for visits, or seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early patterns linked to mental health, learning, or substance use that help guide prevention and support for children and teens.
How similar studies have performed: Other large longitudinal and neuroimaging cohorts have produced important findings about brain and behavior, but ABCD's size and repeated imaging across development is uniquely comprehensive.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Children's Hospital of Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sowell, Elizabeth R — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Sowell, Elizabeth R
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.