Mapping young brains to reveal the biology of playing, learning and growing in the city
The Community Life & Adolescent Development Study is an extension of The Adolescent Development Study (ADS), a 6-year project (2011-2017) funded by the National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at the Georgetown University Medical Center was used in ADS to take pictures of the growing brain along with interviews to assess social adversity, drug-use, family cohesion and lifestyle from ages 11-17 in 142 youth living in the DC, Maryland and Virginia area.
The Community Life and Adolescent Development Study extends ADS to investigate the relationship between community health, the maturation of young people’s brains and future life outcomes, specifically in the context of experiences with violence in schools and communities.
Participate to Educate!
We are seeking families with youth ages 12-18 living in Washington, D.C. communities to participate in our study and help us develop materials for understanding how community and family life can influence the teenage brain for adulthood.