How early chemical exposure and long-term stress may affect thinking skills
Official title: The interaction of perinatal organophosphate flame retardant exposure and adult chronic stress on cognitive processing
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11391095 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at whether exposure to certain flame retardants during development plus chronic stress in adulthood can worsen thinking, memory, and decision-making in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00ES033256-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391095 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history or concern for cognitive difficulties who may have been exposed to environmental chemicals during development.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without exposure history or cognitive concerns may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one faced cognitive difficulties, this project explores how early exposure to environmental chemicals together with ongoing stress might influence brain function later in life. researchers will use animal models and human-relevant data to examine brain signaling pathways affected by these factors. the study aims to identify how perinatal exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and chronic adult stress interact to impact cognitive processing, potentially revealing targets for intervention. results could inform strategies to reduce exposure risks and mitigate cognitive symptoms in affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to better prevention and treatment approaches for cognitive problems linked to chemical exposure and stress.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that environmental exposures and stress can affect cognition, but the combined interaction is not well understood and remains exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiersielis, Kimberly Robyn — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Wiersielis, Kimberly Robyn
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.