How infections during pregnancy affect teen brain development and mental health
The impact of prenatal maternal infection and inflammation on human brain development and psychopathology during adolescence
Looking at whether infections or inflammation during pregnancy are linked to brain structure and mental health in teenagers.
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-11098522 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project follows a large group of mothers and their children so you can see how infections in pregnancy might relate to brain scans and behavior in adolescence. Researchers will combine trimester-by-trimester records of maternal infections and inflammation markers with brain imaging of the children in their teens and detailed behavioral and psychiatric assessments. The team uses the Generation R cohort, a long-term population study with many participants and repeated follow-up visits. They will look at timing, type, and severity of maternal immune activation to pinpoint links to adolescent brain differences and mental health outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The work is most relevant to pregnant people and their children, especially those with documented infections or inflammation during pregnancy or adolescents with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric concerns.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment for existing psychiatric conditions are unlikely to get direct, immediate medical benefit from this observational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify pregnancies at higher risk and guide earlier monitoring or prevention to protect children’s brain development.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies consistently show maternal immune activation can change offspring brain and behavior, and smaller human studies suggest similar links but larger, longer-term data have been limited.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bergink, Veerle — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Bergink, Veerle
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.