Common environmental chemicals that may harm developing brains linked to autism and ADHD
Official title: Environmental-use chemicals that target pathways linked to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11327314 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work finds which everyday environmental chemicals might damage developing brains and raise risk for autism or ADHD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $852,030 |
| NIH project number | 5R35ES028366-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327314 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or parents of young children and who are concerned about environmental exposures would find this research most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Adults with long-established autism or ADHD diagnoses are unlikely to get direct treatment benefit from this prevention-focused research.
What this research studies
From my point of view, researchers are using laboratory models and genetic tools to see how chemicals people encounter in homes and the environment affect brain development tied to autism and ADHD. They plan to screen many chemicals, including pesticides and compounds in plastics, and use modern techniques like CRISPR to probe biological pathways. The goal is to identify which chemicals most strongly disrupt brain development pathways associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Findings will be used to prioritize chemicals for further study and possible public-health action.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific chemicals to avoid or regulate, helping prevent some cases of autism or ADHD in future children.
How similar studies have gone: Epidemiological studies have previously linked some prenatal exposures (like certain pesticides and valproic acid) to autism and ADHD risk, but large-scale experimental chemical screening of this kind is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zylka, Mark J. — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Zylka, Mark J.
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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.