How maternal stress during pregnancy affects child brain development
Official title: Psychosocial unpredictability during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment: Uncovering mechanisms and sensitive windows in utero
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-10904930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how stress that moms experience during pregnancy might affect their baby's brain development, with the goal of finding ways to help reduce any risks for future mental health issues in kids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $123,768 |
| NIH project number | 5K99MH133978-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10904930 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant individuals experiencing significant psychosocial stress, particularly those from historically minoritized backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those who do not experience psychosocial stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how unpredictable psychosocial stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy can influence the neurodevelopment of their children. It focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that connect maternal stress to potential psychiatric issues in offspring. By utilizing advanced techniques such as fetal brain imaging and monitoring maternal-infant cortisol levels, the study aims to identify critical periods during pregnancy when the fetus is most vulnerable to stress. The findings could help in developing interventions to mitigate these risks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to strategies that reduce the risk of psychiatric disorders in children by addressing maternal stress during pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that maternal stress can significantly impact child development, indicating that this approach has a foundation in established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hendrix, Cassandra Lei — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Hendrix, Cassandra Lei
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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.