The Microbiome, Stress, and Reward Study (MSR) – Healthy Children Ages 9-15

STUDY BASICS

Are you the biological parent of an emotionally healthy child 9-15 years old? If so, you and your child may be able to participate in a study to help better understand the relationship between the microbiome and depression. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Many children and teens experience depression, a serious mood disorder that causes feelings of intense sadness, lowered energy and interest in activities, academic problems, and withdrawal from others. Recent research has found that the microbiome—the community of bacteria and microscopic organisms that live inside our bodies—may play a role in the development of depression and other conditions. The purpose of this study is to help researchers better understand how the amount and types of gut bacteria relate to stress and reward responses in adolescents with and without a personal or family history of depression. Researchers hope their findings will lead to better treatments for childhood depression in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

• Biological parent of a child ages 9-15
• Child has no history of depression
• Parents have no history of depression or other major mental illness

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves up to 2 visits and involves the following:

• A clinical interview with you and your child
• Completion of questionnaires
• Child will undergo a painless, non-invasive EEG test that measures brain activity while they complete computer tasks and a stress test (public speaking and math tasks)
• Mailing a stool sample from your child to the study team. The study team will provide everything you need to collect the stool sample