Participants Needed

Help Us Understand How the Brain Thinks and Feels

About the Study
Researchers at SickKids are exploring how people think, pay attention, and respond to the world around them. By studying individuals both with and without Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), we aim to understand how brain activity relates to thinking, emotion, and behaviour. Your participation helps improve understanding and care for people with PWS and other developmental conditions.

What’s Involved?
  • One research visit at SickKids or at home
  • Eye-tracking and MEG
  • Pen-and-paper activities
  • Questions about your thoughts and mood
  • Blood or saliva sample
  • Approximately 6–8 hours, or 4–6 hours for infants

Who Can Participate?
Individuals aged 12 months to 60 years who meet one of the following criteria:
  1. Have a genetic diagnosis of PWS OR
  2. Have no prior diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition OR
  3. Have a genetic diagnosis associated with neurodevelopment/intellectual disability, e.g., Down Syndrome or Angelman Syndrome

Why Join?
  • Receive a gift card
  • Reimbursement for eligible travel expenses
  • Help improve future outcomes for individuals with PWS

Study Title: Insight into Prader-Willi Syndrome
Principal Investigator: Dr. Louise Gallagher
Version 2: 2025-10-06
REB #: 1000081848

 

Join Our Study on Neurexin 1 Deletion
(2p16.3 deletion)

Are you someone with NRXN1 deletion or a family member (parent/sibling) of someone with NRXN1 deletion? Consider participating in our study:
What Is the Study About?
We are doing this study to better understand NRXN1 deletion to help us understand the variability in thinking skills, language, social skills and mental health outcomes. Family members (parents/siblings) are invited to participate to help us examine if other genetic factors outside of the NRXN1 gene might help to explain some of the variability in diagnosis and behaviours between individuals.

Who Can Participate?

We are looking for individuals with NRXN1 deletion and their family members (parents/siblings).

What’s Involved?

We ask participants to:

  • Provide a blood draw or saliva sample
  • Complete some skills assessments
  • Complete questionnaires and interviews

Are There Benefits to Participating?
  • Participants will be given a gift certificate in recognition of their contribution.
  • You can also receive volunteer hours for school.
  • Your involvement will help doctors better understand NRXN1 deletion and why some people develop neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions and others do not.

 

Study Title: Relative Diversity Associated with Neurexin Trajectories (RaDiaNT)
Principal Investigator: Dr. Louise Gallagher
Version: 2_29Nov2024
REB #: 1000080839