We are looking for mothers with and without a history of depression with children between the ages of 4-6 years who may or may not be sad or irritable.
The goal of this study is to help us better understand how the brain works in preschoolers who are generally happy and those who are often sad or irritable. We are also interested in how family relationships and having a family history of depression might influence brain function in these young children. To answer these questions, we will ask your child to take part in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan that will create pictures of their brain’s structure and let us see how their brain reacts when they are experiencing something positive, like winning candy or watching a movie, or just quietly resting. We will also ask parents to tell us about themselves, their child, and their family.
MRI is considered low risk and safe for children of all ages because it does not use x-rays or radiation to look at the brain. Instead, it uses a very strong magnet (similar to ones you might have at home) to take ‘brain pictures’.
We are not currently enrolling for the Family Well-Being Study.