Early brain activity and environment tied to preschool ADHD and behavior problems
Longitudinal EEG and Environmental Trajectories Leading to ADHD and Disruptive Behaviors from Infancy to Preschool
This project uses brief EEG brainwave recordings plus information about a child's home and caregiving from infancy to preschool to spot early signs of ADHD and disruptive behaviors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237168 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Your child would have short EEG recordings and developmental and family-environment questionnaires done at routine well-child visits from about 4 months up to a 3- or 4-year visit. The team is following a racially and ethnically diverse group of low-resourced infants seen in an urban pediatric clinic and will add an extra EEG and behavior check at preschool age. Researchers will look at how brain activity and environmental experiences change over time to find patterns that predict early ADHD and disruptive behavior symptoms. Participation is coordinated through Boston Children's Hospital and is designed to fit with regular pediatric care to reduce extra visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants and toddlers receiving care in urban primary pediatric clinics—especially families with limited resources—who can attend well-child visits at the study sites for EEG and behavioral follow-ups.
Not a fit: Children beyond preschool age, adults, or families unable to attend clinic visits or without early EEG data are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify children at risk earlier so families can get tailored early support to reduce later school and behavior problems.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have linked EEG patterns to later attention problems, but using repeated EEG from infancy through preschool to predict ADHD and disruptive behaviors is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arnett, Anne Bernard — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Arnett, Anne Bernard
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.