Brain and Cognitive Development in kids exposed to alcohol before birth
Official title: Brain and Cognitive Development in the PASS Cohort: The Impact of PrenatalAlcohol Exposure
Funded at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · NIH-11552678 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant would study how prenatal alcohol exposure affects brain and thinking skills in children and teens from a South African birth cohort, using follow-up brain imaging and cognitive tests.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $178,602 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AA025653-09S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11552678 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents aged about 8–17 years who were part of the PASS cohort, with varying levels of prenatal alcohol exposure, and their non-exposed peers.
✕Less likely to help
Youth with no exposure history or those outside the PASS cohort may not directly benefit from this specific study.
What this research studies
Researchers will extend follow-up with neuroimaging and cognitive assessments of children aged roughly 8 to 17 who were prenatally exposed to alcohol, comparing them to non-exposed peers. The study uses a cohort design, re-contacting many participants and adding hundreds more to cover a wider range of exposure. By tracking brain development, thinking abilities, and facial morphology over time, the project aims to map how prenatal alcohol exposure shapes development through adolescence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure could lead to earlier identification and targeted support for affected youths.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in the PASS cohort has produced valuable brain and behavioral data, supporting the potential for meaningful findings in this renewal.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sowell, Elizabeth R — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Sowell, Elizabeth R
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.