How environmental toxins affect brain circuits related to psychiatric disorders.
Official title: Motivational and Cognitive Circuit Mechanisms of Environmental Toxin-Induced Risk for Psychiatric Disorders.
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-11060950 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how things like pollution and stress during childhood can affect the brain's ability to handle rewards and memory, especially in people facing tough economic situations, to help us understand mental health issues like depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 23, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $574,016 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES035856-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11060950 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who have experienced early life stress or exposure to environmental pollutants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a history of exposure to environmental toxins or early life stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how exposure to environmental toxins and early life stress impacts brain circuits that are crucial for reward processing and working memory. It focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind psychiatric disorders like major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. By using animal models, the study aims to establish a causal link between these environmental factors and changes in brain circuitry. The findings could provide insights into how these exposures contribute to cognitive deficits and emotional disturbances.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and treatment options for psychiatric disorders linked to environmental factors.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, there have been other studies indicating that environmental factors can influence psychiatric outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harris, Alexander — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Harris, Alexander
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Whole-chromosome fine-mapping across diverse ancestries to understand psychiatric disorders
A study to pinpoint the exact genetic changes that contribute to bipolar disorder and related conditions by using diverse populations to improve accuracy.
-
Neuronal signals guiding deep brain stimulation for neuropsychiatric disorders
A doctor-scientist at Stanford plans to study how deep brain stimulation changes brain cells and circuits in people with OCD, depression, and movement disorders to improve how DBS therapies work.
-
How a spouse's mental health and substance use may affect a partner's drinking problems
A study looks at how a spouse’s psychiatric disorders and drinking habits influence when a person starts, stops, or relapses into alcohol use problems within marriage.
-
Mapping brain microstructure in psychiatric disorders with normal ranges
A study will build a brain-mapping reference to understand how an individual’s brain differs within the normal range, with a focus on youths and how age and sex affect brain microstructure.
-
Foundation Models for Brain Imaging in Psychiatry
A large AI model will be trained on many brain scans and related data to help researchers understand ADHD, autism, and bipolar disorder.
-
How early pollution and stress change brain circuits for motivation and memory
This work looks at how early-life exposure to pollution and stress can alter brain circuits that control motivation and working memory for people with ADHD, depression, or similar conditions.
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.