Studies how early life stress affects brain, behaviour and mental health in young adults
Observes how early life experiences may affect the brain and mental health in young adults.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Manchester
- Where
- Manchester, United KingdomSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Investigating the Impacts of Early Life Experience on the Brain & Behaviour
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 120 people, planned
- Started
- 1 Apr 2023
- Expected to end
- 30 Dec 2027
- Type of study
- Observational, 2 groups
- Record updated
- 12 February 2025
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for young adults aged 18-24 who live in Greater Manchester and had no early life trauma. They must not be in university and meet at least one of three conditions on work, benefits or mental health.
- Age
- 18-24 years (the registry lists 18 Years to 25 Years)
- Sex
- All sexes
- Disease stage
- No specific stage. People who are struggling with mental health problems or neurodiversity (for example depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, eating disorder) can join. So can people who are not in education, employment or training, or who receive government benefits.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Looked after by the local authority (foster, kinship or residential care) or adopted in childhood
- Any childhood trauma, such as neglect, abuse or exposure to domestic violence
- Family needed social services input because of child protection concerns
- Diagnosed with PTSD, borderline personality disorder or EUPD and have symptoms
- Enrolled on a university degree course or hold a university degree
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 12 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Age 18-24
- Reside in Greater Manchester
- You are not enrolled on a university degree course and do not hold a university degree qualification
- Lived with one or both birth parents throughout childhood
- Able to travel to the University of Manchester
- Able to understand the study information and participate in the assessment procedures described below (independently or with reading support from a researcher, friend or family member)
- Able to read text on a computer screen (using glasses or contact lenses if required)
- To sign up for this study one or more of the following statements should apply to you:; I am not currently in education employment or training, or I am unemployed; I receive benefits from the Government e.g., housing benefits, universal credit, personal independent payment (PIP), disability benefit, job seekers allowance; I am currently struggling due mental health problems or neurodiversity (e.g., depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, eating disorder)
Who cannot take part
- You are experiencing symptoms of and have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD)
- You were looked after by the local authority (e.g., foster, kinship care or residential children's home) or adopted during childhood
- Any experience of childhood trauma (including neglect, physical/verbal abuse, sexual abuse or exposure to domestic violence)
- Your family required input from social services due to child protection concerns
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 25 years old?
Where in United Kingdom
- Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of ManchesterManchester, United KingdomContact: Mica Komarnyckyj, MEng, MSc, PhDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The aim of this study is to learn more about how early life experience influences the brain, behaviour, and the immune system later in life. This will help improve understanding of why certain early life experiences (e.g., adoption, stress and parental separation) can cause difficulties for some people when they are adults. The long-term goal of this research is to develop tools that could identify young people who are vulnerable to developing future problems, this will ensure people get the help that they need at the right time for them.
Read full original descriptionShow less
This study will use psychological assessment, online games, brain imaging and blood sampling to help improve our understanding of how and why early life experience can influence mental health, cognition, brain development and the immune system later in life.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Control Group
Young adults, aged 18-15 who were not adopted and have no experience of childhood trauma
- Adopted Group
Young adults, aged 18-15 who were adopted
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Effects of Early Trauma on Neurocognitive Development and Mental Health
- Plain-language title
- Studies how early life stress affects brain, behaviour and mental health in young adultsGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT06823492, who can take part
- Record updated
- 12 February 2025