Exploring how exercise during pregnancy can reduce brain damage in children.
Official title: Mitigating Developmental Neurotoxicity Through Maternal and Offspring Exercise
Funded at Northern Kentucky University · NIH-10725969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how exercise during pregnancy can help protect both moms and their babies from harmful effects of a chemical that can hurt brain development, aiming to find out if staying active can boost brain health for both.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern Kentucky University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Highland Heights, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $140,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03ES035480-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10725969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include pregnant women and their children, particularly those exposed to environmental pollutants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or whose children are older than 11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of maternal and offspring exercise on reducing the harmful effects of a known carcinogen, benzo[a]pyrene, which can negatively affect brain development in children. The study aims to understand how regular aerobic activity during pregnancy can enhance brain health by increasing beneficial brain proteins and improving neurochemical signaling. By examining both maternal and child responses to exercise, the research seeks to identify potential protective mechanisms against cognitive and behavioral deficits linked to environmental toxins.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new guidelines for exercise during pregnancy that promote better brain health in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that exercise can improve brain health, but this specific approach focusing on maternal exercise during pregnancy is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Curran, Christine Perdan — Northern Kentucky University
- Study coordinator: Curran, Christine Perdan
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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.