Yale's ABCD program tracking kids' brain and health over time

7/21 ABCD-USA CONSORTIUM: RESEARCH PROJECT SITE AT YALE

NIH-funded research Yale University · NIH-11302702

Following thousands of children who were 9–10 at enrollment as they grow up to learn how brain development, health, behavior, and life experiences connect.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionYale University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New Haven, United States)
Project IDNIH-11302702 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, you'll have visits that include brain scans, cognitive tests, biological samples, and questions about health, school, family, and activities. Major assessments happen every two years with shorter yearly interviews and app-based check-ins to track changes over time. The project follows participants from late childhood into adolescence and young adulthood to see how different experiences affect brain and behavioral development. Study staff work to keep families involved long-term and make participation as convenient as possible.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children enrolled when they were about 9–10 years old (and their families) who are able to attend in-person visits at the Yale site or continue follow-up remotely as arranged.

Not a fit: People unable to undergo MRI scans or who cannot commit to multi-year follow-up are less likely to benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could help identify factors that promote healthy brain development and guide better prevention, support, and treatments for children and teens.

How similar studies have performed: Large long-term child development cohorts have linked early factors to later outcomes, and ABCD is one of the largest and most detailed efforts to expand on that work.

Where this research is happening

New Haven, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.