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Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 18 to 22

Brain and behavior patterns of sign-tracking versus goal-tracking in young adults

Official title: Neurobehavioral Signatures of Sign- and Goal-Tracking in Emerging Adults: Translation of a Preclinical Model

Run by University of Michigan · NCT07094061 · Data updated 2026-11-12

We test whether differences in brain activity and behavior tied to 'sign-tracking' versus 'goal-tracking' help explain attention, impulse control, and reward responses in healthy 18–22-year-olds.

More Substance Use trials

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 22 Years
SexAll
Enrollment294 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Michigan
Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Ann Arbor, Michigan and 1 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedOctober 3, 2025
Main results expectedAugust 2028
Study endsAugust 2028
Registry record updatedJune 10, 2026
Trial IDNCT07094061 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal participants are English-speaking, right-handed 18–22-year-olds who can give informed consent, are medically healthy, and may include people with light past substance use (at least one cannabis use for those with a history).

Probably not a fit

People receiving current treatment for substance use disorder, those with a personal or first-degree history of psychosis, recent central nervous system medication use, significant neurological or medical illness, MRI contraindications, severe past head injury, colorblindness, or inability to read small text unaided are not eligible and would not benefit from participating.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This interventional study enrolls right-handed 18–22-year-olds and uses behavioral tasks, eye tracking, questionnaires, and fMRI to measure sign-tracking and goal-tracking tendencies and related brain responses. Participants complete interviews and surveys about personality and substance use history, perform computerized tasks while eye movements are recorded, and undergo fMRI to map reward and control circuitry. Investigators hypothesize that a stronger sign-tracking bias will correspond with bottom-up processing marked by poorer attention and impulse control and heightened reward responses, while stronger goal-tracking will link with top-down control and normative reward processing. Data are compared across participants with varying substance use histories to translate robust preclinical findings into a human young-adult sample.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify behavioral and brain markers that help predict vulnerability to problematic substance use and guide early prevention strategies.

How similar studies have gone: Animal studies have robustly linked sign- and goal-tracking to addiction-related behaviors, and early human imaging and behavioral studies show related signals though full clinical translation is still limited.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* 18-22 years old at baseline
* Right-handed
* Medically/physically able to give informed consent
* English-speaking
* Substance use is free to vary, but for participants with a history of substance use, ≥ 1 use of cannabis (including less than a full dose)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Acute or chronic medical or neurological illness (e.g., diabetes, epilepsy, migraine)
* History of psychosis in self or first-degree relative
* Current treatment for substance use disorder
* Current or past 6-month treatment with centrally acting medications (not including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication)
* Intelligence quotient (IQ) \< 70
* Lifetime history of head trauma with loss of consciousness \> 5 minutes
* Reliance on glasses to be able to read small text at a distance of approximately 30 inches
* Colorblindness
* MRI contraindication (e.g., pregnancy, metal implants, claustrophobia) per protocol

Where it's running

  • Rachel Upjohn Building
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States     Recruiting
  • University of Michigan
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States     Not yet recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Lora Cope, PhD — University of Michigan
  • Study coordinator: Paul Holdefer, MPH
  • Email: holdefer@umich.edu
  • Phone: 734-998-9239

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
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Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.