Early-life metal exposure and brain development during adolescence and adulthood
Metal mixtures, exposure windows, and neurodevelopmental trajectories from adolescence to adulthood
Looks at whether metal exposures in the first two years of life change brain structure and thinking skills during adolescence and into adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310206 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project follows people from childhood into young adulthood to see how metals they were exposed to as babies affect their brains and thinking. Researchers use data from the PHIME cohort in Northern Italy and will collect repeated brain MRIs and computerized tests of attention and working memory over time. The team studies mixtures of neurotoxic and neuroprotective metals and focuses on the timing of exposure in the early postnatal period (0–2 years). The accelerated longitudinal design combines participants of different ages to map developmental trajectories faster than a single long-term cohort.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents or young adults who were part of the PHIME cohort or who lived near industrial metal sources in early childhood and are willing to undergo MRI scans and cognitive testing.
Not a fit: People without early-life metal exposure, adults outside the study age range, or those unable to have MRI scans may not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify harmful and protective metal exposures and sensitive early-life windows, informing prevention, public health policy, and interventions to protect brain development.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked metals like lead to altered neurodevelopment, but combining early-postnatal exposure records with repeated adolescent MRI and cognitive testing is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horton, Megan K — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Horton, Megan K
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.