Nearly 12,000 kids sign up for a study on how brains develop

The NIH has wrapped up enrollment for a sweeping new study on how the brain develops during childhood — and how the environment, social conditions, genetics, and a slew of other factors might play a role. The ABCD study — or by its full name, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study — includes nearly 12,000 kids who will be followed through young adulthood. Scientists at 21 sites across the country will snap images of the brains and keep tabs on measures that might impact brain development and long-term health. The NIH will open that data up to other scientists who want to pursue other research projects.