Understanding and tracking early signs of psychosis
Official title: ProNET: Psychosis-Risk Outcomes Network
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11493634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows people with early warning signs of psychosis to find brain, behavioral, genetic, and digital markers that help predict future outcomes.
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) | $378,020 |
| NIH project number | 3U01MH124639-05SF |
| Project ID | NIH-11493634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people showing early or attenuated psychotic symptoms (clinical high risk) who can attend repeated visits and complete scans, tests, and smartphone-based monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People without early warning signs of psychosis, those already diagnosed with a full psychotic disorder, or those unable to complete in-person visits or digital monitoring may not receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
You would join an international network that follows people who have early or mild psychotic symptoms over two years. Researchers collect brain scans (MRI), EEG, genetic tests, blood and other body samples, speech recordings, cognitive tests, and smartphone sensor and survey data at multiple visits. About 1,040 people at clinical high risk and 260 healthy volunteers take part across 26 sites, with key measurements repeated to track changes over time. The team links these markers to clinical courses to help guide who might need different treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify who is most likely to develop full psychosis sooner and tailor earlier, more effective treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous smaller studies have found some promising markers, but this large, multi-site, multimodal approach is broader and less tested at this scale.
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.
-
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.
-
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.