Age-Related and Emotional Responses to Threat

This study investigates age-related changes in the brain linked to anxiety in kids ages 8-18 years old.
Eligibility Survey
If you are interested in participating in this study, we would like to ask you several short questions to see if you might be eligible. These questions will take about three minutes to complete.
Conditions to Participate
You may be eligible for this study if you:
- Male or female individuals between the ages of 8-18 years old.
You may not be eligible for this study if you:
- Any diagnosis of or treatment for of a mental health disorder.
- Significant developmental delay including Autism, Learning Disabilities, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Phenylketonuria or severe cognitive impairment (IQ < 70).
- Chronic medical illness requiring medication treatment other than allergies such as hay fever.
- Medications known to affect brain function or the central nervous system.
- Orthodontic braces or metallic implants, such as prostheses, shrapnel or aneurysm clips, or persons with electronic implants, such as cardiac pacemakers.
- Claustrophobia, unable to stay still in the scanner for 60 minutes, issues with completing the practice/mock MRI or unable to be in the MRI scanner room alone.
- Female subjects who may be pregnant as elicited by self-report.
More Details
The research study will require two visits and will take about two hours per visit. During the first study visit you and your child will complete a series of questionnaires. Additionally, your child will complete a brief intelligence test, play a computer game, provide a saliva sample, and use the mock MRI scanner to show your child what the actual MRI will be like. During the second visit, your child will get an MRI scan while participating in a task.
This study is being conducted solely for research purposes and your participation is strictly voluntary. If you are interested in taking part, we will ask you to sign a form to indicate that you consent to taking part in the study. If you consent to participate, you may withdraw from the study at any time. You will receive compensation for participation in each of the study visits.
IRB#: 112-23-EP
Age-Related and Emotional Responses to Threat
Jennifer Blackford, PhD
Hattie B. Munroe Professor
Director, Munroe-Meyer Institute Research
Professor, UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences
Professor, UNO Department of Psychology
Principal Investigator

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