Childhood stress and lifelong heart health
Official title: Early Life Stress Induced Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Resilience
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11262234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Finding out how stressful events in childhood can change blood vessels and blood pressure later to help people who had tough childhoods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,193,510 |
| NIH project number | 5P01HL158500-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11262234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who experienced significant stressful or traumatic events up to age 18 and are willing to provide health information, blood samples, and undergo blood pressure and vascular testing are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of early-life stress or whose heart disease is caused by unrelated issues may be less likely to benefit directly from the findings.
What this research studies
This program brings together studies of people who experienced stressful or traumatic events during childhood and those who did not to look for lasting changes in blood pressure and blood vessel function. Participants may have blood pressure checks, blood samples, and noninvasive tests of vascular stiffness and function, while researchers also use lab and animal work to explore underlying biology. The goal is to link measurable changes in the body back to early-life experiences so that specific targets for prevention or treatment can be identified. If you join, you may be asked to share health history, provide samples, and come to the University of Alabama at Birmingham or affiliated clinics for tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new ways to prevent or treat heart and blood vessel problems in people who experienced childhood stress by targeting the specific biological pathways involved.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked childhood stress to higher adult blood pressure and vascular problems, but few studies have translated those links into proven treatments, so this work builds on known associations while adding deeper mechanistic research.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pollock, Jennifer S — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Pollock, Jennifer S
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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.