COVID during pregnancy and possible effects on baby brain and behavior
Utilizing a novel hamster model to determine neurologic and behavioral abnormalities of offspring from mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2
Researchers will use a hamster model to learn whether mothers infected with COVID-19 before or during pregnancy can have babies with brain or behavior changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247106 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, scientists will infect pregnant golden Syrian hamsters with SARS-CoV-2 and follow their offspring to look for changes in brain structure and behavior. They will use lab methods like virology, molecular tests, tissue staining, and behavior testing to compare pups from infected and uninfected mothers. The team is particularly interested in signs linked to post-COVID neurological problems, such as loss of smell and other neurodevelopmental changes. Results may reveal biological steps that explain clinical findings seen in children born after maternal COVID-19.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is most relevant to pregnant people who had COVID-19 and parents of children believed to have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the womb, who may be candidates for related clinical follow-up in the future.
Not a fit: People without prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure or whose health concerns are unrelated to pregnancy and child brain development are unlikely to directly benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how maternal COVID-19 exposure might lead to developmental or behavioral problems in children and point to ways to prevent or treat them.
How similar studies have performed: Prior human and animal research has suggested links between maternal SARS-CoV-2 and offspring outcomes and hamsters have been useful for COVID-19 research, but using a prenatal hamster model to study offspring neurodevelopment is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Plante, Kenneth Steven — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Plante, Kenneth Steven
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 below.