The mission of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. NIDA, in collaboration with other NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices, and other federal partners, supports two large prospective developmental studies, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development SM (ABCD) Study and the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study.
The NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Biorepository Portal serves two major purposes for the ABCD and HBCD studies: It facilitates the collection of samples by study staff, and it maintains a database of stored samples and sample associated metadata for the research community. Researchers can browse the inventory of available samples using the Biospecimen Explorer, and request biospecimens to conduct their own analyses through the NBDC Biospecimen Access Program X01 NOFO.
By providing these services, the NBDC Biorepository Portal aims to further support research on child and adolescent health and development. To learn more about accessing NBDC biospecimens, see the Researchers Tab and the corresponding NBDC Biospecimen Access Program website.
The ABCD Study is the largest longitudinal study of brain development and child health in the U.S., collecting data from nearly 12,000 youth across the country beginning when they were 9-10 years old and continuing for a decade. The ABCD Study collects data related to physical and mental health, culture and environment, substance use, and neurocognitive function, as well as bio-assays for hormones, cardiovascular and hematologic health, genetics, environmental toxins, and substance use analysis, and multimodal brain imaging to track changes in brain structure and function as participants transition from childhood through adolescence into adulthood. See the ABCD Study site Scientists tab for more information.
The ABCD Study cohort approximates the U.S. population on several demographic factors (See below. Baseline enrollment: n=11,878 participants; 48% female, 52% male)
Please visit the ABCD Data Sharing page for more information on how data from ABCD Study is shared. Curated data from all assessment domains, including some data from biosamples (e.g., gene array, pubertal hormone analyses), but no the biosamples themselves, are release annually. Applicants who wish to access shared data must sign a Data Use Certification (co-signed by an Instiutional offical).
The HBCD Study is the largest long-term study of early brain and child development in the U.S. The HBCD Study aims to enroll approximately 7,500 participating families across the U.S. and follow them from pregnancy through early childhood. The long-term goal of the HBCD Study is to better understand how child development is affected by exposure to social and environmental experiences and conditions.
The NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Biospecimen Access Program provides the research community access to biospecimens collected from the ABCD Study participants. Investigators conducting research studies on adolescent health can apply for access to biological samples from the ABCD Study through an X01 Resource Access Award.
The NBDC Biorepository Portal can be used to explore available samples and submit a Biospecimen Availability Inquiry. If your X01 is approved, you will use the NBDC Portal to obtain your samples and complete post-approval activities. See the “Requesting biospecimens from the NBDC Biospecimen Access Program“ page for a detailed outline of the process