Neurodevelopmental Genomics Supplement

National Institute Of Mental Health

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

During the past year, 1,736 youth were enrolled in the study and 250 completed the neuroimaging component of the project, resulting in a total number of 9,236 youth who have undergone the clinical and medical interviews, and cognitive testing, and 1,000 who have completed the neuroimaging component of the project. The NIMH and U PENN teams have worked closely in the development of the diagnostic measures, and in developing algorithms for identification of youth at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as a range of medical conditions. We are currently modifying the diagnostic algorithms of two large population-based studies of youth (i.e., the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey and the National Comorbidity Survey- Adolescent Supplement) to be consistent with those used in the U PENN Study. In combination with pre-selected sociodemographic factors (i.e., race/ethnicity, parental education, poverty status), comparable diagnostic algorithms will allow examination of potential bias in the U PENN sample. Cross validation of this assessment with more extensive diagnostic interviews at the NIMH site is now underway. The NIMH team is currently working with the U PENN and CHOP collaborators to develop topical workgroups that will facilitate data analysis and manuscript preparation. We have also made formal plans to follow at least 300 youth between the ages of 15 and 25 years who show or are at risk for mood spectrum disorders, acquiring measures of activity, experiential momentary sampling, olfaction, neurocognition, and clinical symptom measures. Public Health Impact: The proposed comprehensive phenotyping will benefit medicine across diseases and include neurobehavioral measures, which will help elucidate both specific effects of neuropsychiatric disorders and the impact of other medical disorders on brain function. Future Plans: The NIMH team will work with the U PENN and CHOP collaborators to prepare and analyze the data, and prepare manuscripts for publication. In addition, the NIMH will collaborate with U PENN to acquire data on the 300 youth who show or are at risk for mood spectrum disorders.