We are currently conducting an MRI study of adolescent brain development in the Brain Imaging Center at McLean Hospital, located in Belmont, MA. We are the final stages of subject recruitment and are aiming to recruit and scan 6 healthy adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 14 years old over the next 4 weeks.
The purpose of this research study is to better understand how the brain develops, and how alcohol use can affect brain functions. Dr. Silveri and colleagues use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the structure of the brain and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure brain chemicals. Your child will have two brain scans, the first scan (MRI) determines that he/she has a healthy brain. This scan will last approximately 30 minutes. The second scan will be used for research to collect information about chemistry of the brain (MRS). This scan will last approximately 90 minutes, during which time your child can listen to the radio or a CD. These techniques provide pictures of the brain without radiation that are more detailed than the pictures obtained using other imaging techniques such as computer assisted tomography (CT). Your child will also have a clinical assessment to determine emotional state and mood, and will complete a series of questionnaires and paper and pencil tests that measure mental and motor abilities, such as how your child pays attention, your child's math, spelling and vocabulary abilities, and your child's handedness. Your child's study visit will take up to five hours on one study day, or can be split into two sessions to accommodate your schedule: Day 1 (up to two hours) - clinical assessment and 3T MRI scan; Day 2 (up to three hours) - cognitive testing and MRS scan. Your child will receive $150 for study completion whether the study is completed in one or two study visits. A parent or guardian is required to provide consent on behalf of the child and is required to be present in our Brain Imaging Center for the duration of the study visit.
If you and your teenage daughter (healthy, aged 12-14 years old) are interested in participating in this research study, please contact my Research Assistants David Crowley or Michael Covell, at mcleanmri@mclean.harvard.edu, or via phone at 617-855-2880. They will be able to answer any questions you have about the study and will be able to determine whether or not your child is eligible for study participation.