Pitt Biomarker for Healthy vs. Anxious Development Study – 16-17 year olds with GAD

STUDY BASICS

Are you the parent of a 16-17 year old who has been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? Your child may be able to participate in a study to help uncover differences in brain development associated with GAD. Eligible participants will complete a brain MRI scan while doing tasks that engage different brain areas or at rest. Compensation is provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

This study is being done to test the age-related brain change in healthy and anxious participants between 16 to 17 years old. 

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

Eligible participants:
•    Ages 16-17
•    Diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
•    Able and willing to undergo MRI scanning (no non-removable metal in the body; not claustrophobic; weigh less than 300 pounds)
•    Not diagnosed with any neurological disorders
•    Not diagnosed with any developmental disorders
•    Do not have seizures
•    No history of any head Injury
•    Not colorblind
•    Fluent in English
 

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

This study will include an initial telephone screening, a first screening visit (1.5 hours), and a second testing visit (3 hours), ideally occurring within two weeks of each other. All participants will be asked to complete questionnaires for diagnosis of GAD, assessing broad anxiety symptoms and IQ, and to complete MRI scans including magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and functional MRI (fMRI).