Developing Brain, Impulsivity and Compulsivity
Eligible age
6–80 yrs
Accepts
All genders
Locations
1 state
Healthy volunteers
No
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About this study
Background: Impulsivity is acting 'without thinking.' Compulsivity is being overly inflexible. People vary in how impulsive or compulsive they are. Extreme versions of these behaviors play a role in mental disorders. Researchers want to study changes in the brain to learn more about these behaviors. Differences in genes may also play a role. Objective: To learn about genetic \& brain features that explain why levels of impulsivity and compulsivity vary across people. Eligibility: People ages 6 - 80 Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history and medical record review. Participants will talk about their mental and behavioral development. They may discuss topics like drug use and sexual activity. They will complete surveys about their compulsivity and impulsivity. Parents of child participants may also complete these surveys. Participants may take memory, attention, and thinking tests. They may give blood or saliva samples for gene studies and they may give blood to make induced pluripotent stem cells. Participants may have their face and irises photographs taken. Participants may have a magnetic resonance imaging scan. It will take pictures of their brain. The scanner is shaped like a cylinder. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the scanner. A coil will be placed over their head. They will lie still, watch a movie, and play a game. Participants may ask family members to join the study. Researchers are particularly interested in recruiting twin pairs to the study. Participants under age 25 may repeat these tests every 1-2 years until they turn 25 or until the study ends. For those over age 25, participation will last less than 1 month.
Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
- ✕ 1. Cognitively not capable of performing study procedures or lack of capacity to provide informed consent. Indications of a lack of cognitive capacity could include a known full-scale IQ under 70, or a history from the screening interview that implies global intellectual disabilities (e.g., placement in a school for children with intellectual disability etc.)
- ✕ 2. Very premature birth (i.e., birth before 32 weeks of gestational age).
- ✕ 3. Any known brain abnormalities (e.g., tumor, periventricular leukomalacia, microcephaly) or history of medical conditions known to affect cerebral anatomy (e.g., epilepsy, history of stroke, head injury with a loss of consciousness of one hour or more).
- ✕ 4. Psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia, psychosis not otherwise specified).
- ✕ 5. Dementia, or other conditions that, in the opinion of the investigators, would impede compliance or possibly hinder completion of the study.
- ✕ 6. Pregnant women.
- ✕ 7. Any other medical or psychiatric condition that in the opinion of the PI may confound study data/assessments.
Where it's recruiting
Bethesda
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT04631042 · last updated 2026-04-13