Recruiting

Brain Activity Study

Sponsor:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Code:

NCT07566468

Conditions

ADHD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Healthy Volunteer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 10 - 17

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Study Details

Brief summary:

Background:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in children. It can cause problems with attention and the ability to control actions and impulses. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is less common in children but not rare. It involves ongoing thoughts, urges, impulses, and repeated behaviors. Researchers want to study differences in brain activity between healthy children, those with ADHD, and those with OCD.

Objective:

To learn more about how the brain controls thinking and behavior.

Eligibility:

People aged 10 to 17 years with ADHD, OCD, or neither.

Design:

Participants will have 3 to 10 clinic visits in up to 1 year. Each visit will last 2 to 3 hours.

Three visits are required:

Behavioral. Participants will complete a computer task. Their mood, memory, attention, and thinking skills will be tested.

EEG. Participants will undergo electroencephalography (EEG) to measure signals in their brain. Small electrodes will be placed on the scalp. A cap will be stretched over the head. Signals will be recorded while participants rest or do tasks on a computer.

MRI. Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI). They will lie on a table that rolls into a tube. The MRI will take pictures of their brain while they do tasks on a computer.

Seven more visits are optional. These include 2 more EEG visits and 2 more MRI visits.

Three will be magnetoencephalography (MEG) visits: MEG measures small magnetic field changes in the brain. A helmet with sensors will be placed on the head. Brain changes will be recorded while participants rest or do tasks on a computer.

Conditions

ADHD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Healthy Volunteer

Study ID

NCT07566468

Start date

Sep 17, 2026

Status verified date

Sep 17, 2026

Completion date

May 31, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 31, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 10 - 17

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

1. Ability to provide informed assent and parent consent
2. Age: 10-17 years
3. ADHD Group: Diagnosis of ADHD based on DSM-5 criteria

OCD Group: Diagnosis of OCD based on DSM-5 criteria

HV Group: No Neurological or Psychiatric diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria
4. Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II). WASI-II will be used as a measure of intellectual function. Children will be included when FSIQ > 70.
5. Normal or corrected to normal vision

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Participants will be screened to exclude participants in whom MRI or EEG might result in increased risk of side effects or complications or whose data would not be scientifically valid.

1. Non-English Speakers
2. Pregnancy
3. Any implant, prosthesis or alteration of the body that, in the opinion of the investigator, would be unsafe with MRI or EEG or that would produce an artifact that would compromise the integrity of data;
4. Active or History of psychosis, bipolar I disorder, Level 2 or 3 autism spectrum disorder, active severe substance use disorders (within the last month), have active suicidal intent or plan as detected on screening instruments;
5. Individuals currently taking stimulant medications who cannot tolerate being off their medication for up to 48 hours prior to the study visit and experience an exacerbation of symptoms that necessitates the resumption of medication prior to completion of the study visit.
6. Past or present medical or neurological condition, disease, disorder, genetic finding, or injury that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may significantly increase the potential risks of study participation, reduce or compromise a subject s ability to fully comply with all study requirements for the duration of the study or may compromise the integrity of the data.
7. For the HV group, any impairing current psychiatric diagnosis.

Study Design

Enrollment

110 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

Healthy Volunteer Youth

Youth ages 10-17 without any Neurological or Psychiatric diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria and Neuropsychological battery of tests.

Youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Youth ages 10-17 with a DSM-5 Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Youth with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Youth ages 10-17 with a DSM-5 Diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Primary outcome measure

  • Participant Retention for all visits of the study and task performance. [ Time Frame: At each visit ]
  • Adverse Events reported related to study procedures [ Time Frame: At each visit ]
  • Percentage of EEG and fMRI data deemed to be of sufficient quality for analysis (e.g. without artifact or excessive motion). [ Time Frame: At time of assessment ]
  • Structural cortical region source localized from a combination of the EEG (and MEG in a subset of patients) and fMRI data [ Time Frame: At time of assessment ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Lindsay M Oberman, Ph.D.

(301) 435-7962lindsay.oberman@nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

Contacts

Lindsay Oberman, Ph.D.

301-402-4193lindsay.oberman@nih.gov

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Last update posted

Sep 21, 2026

Last verified

Sep 17, 2026

Keywords

  • EEG
  • MRI
  • fMRI

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-24. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on 2026-09-21. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.