Recruiting

MRI & MRS

Sponsor:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Code:

NCT01266577

Conditions

Brain Mapping

Healthy Volunteer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

NSR MAGNETOM 7T

1Tx x 32Rx Head Coil

Study Details

Brief summary:

Background:

\- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used scanning technique to obtain images of the human body and evaluate activity in the brain. A particular MRI method called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to study brain chemistry as well, which may help researchers who are studying new treatments for psychiatric illnesses. Researchers are interested in improving current MRI and MRS techniques, as well as developing new MRI and MRS techniques to view and measure brain chemicals and brain activity.

Objectives:

\- To implement, develop, and optimize brain chemistry imaging techniques using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Eligibility:

\- Healthy individuals between 18 and 65 years of age.

Design:

  • This study will involve a screening visit and a scanning visit at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
  • Participants will be screened with a full medical and physical examination, blood and urine tests, and neurological testing.
  • During the second visit, participants will have an MRI scan of the brain. (Participants who have received an MRI within the past year will not need to have a second one; the images of the previous scan will be used for this study.) All participants will then have an MRS scan using the same scanning equipment.

Conditions

Brain Mapping

Healthy Volunteer

Study ID

NCT01266577

Start date

Jan 27, 2011

Status verified date

Apr 6, 2026

Completion date

Oct 23, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct 23, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • 18-65 years of age
  • able to give written informed consent
  • healthy based on medical history and physical exam
  • enrolled in Protocol 01-M-0254 or Protocol 17-M-0181

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Any current Axis 1 diagnosis
  • Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities
  • Positive HIV test
  • Metallic foreign bodies that would be affected by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet, or fear of enclosed spaces likely to make the subject unable to undergo an MRI scan.
  • History of neurological illness or injury with the potential to affect study data interpretation, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson s disease, seizure disorder or traumatic brain injury
  • Inability to lie flat on camera bed for about two and a half hours
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Current substance use disorder based on DSM-5
  • NIMH employees and staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy.

Study Design

Enrollment

300 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

other: One Arm

Subjects receive the same scan

Interventions

NSR MAGNETOM 7T

The 7 Tesla scanner is a magnet system used to acquire magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy

1Tx x 32Rx Head Coil

Used to perform proton imaging and spectroscopy in the human heads.

Primary outcome measure

  • The primary outcome is the quality of the MR spectroscopy which includes spectrum signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio, spectral lineshape, linewidth, and resolution. [ Time Frame: prospective and ongoing ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Christopher S Johnson

(301) 402-6695johnsonchri@mail.nih.gov

Li An, Ph.D.

(301) 896-2882anl@mail.nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Last update posted

Aug 24, 2026

Last verified

Apr 6, 2026

Keywords

  • Brain Metabolism
  • Neurochemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mental Illness
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on 2026-08-24.