How pesticide spray seasons affect thinking and mood in teens and young adults
Official title: Cyclical Alterations In Neurocognitive Performance And Mood Over Two Years In Relation To Pesticide Spray Seasons Among Adolescent And Young Adult Participants Of The Espina Study.
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11504813 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows teens and young adults for two years to look for short-term changes in thinking skills and mood linked to nearby pesticide spray seasons.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2016 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $96,412 |
| NIH project number | 3R01ES025792-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11504813 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young adults (roughly ages 18–23) who live in or near agricultural areas with seasonal pesticide spraying and can attend repeated study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live near agricultural pesticide spraying or who are outside the study age range may not receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would join a group of adolescents and young adults who are seen repeatedly over two years to measure thinking skills and mood around times when pesticides are sprayed nearby. The team combines short-term testing of attention, memory, and mood questionnaires with timing of local spray seasons and exposure measures. They build on earlier follow-ups of the ESPINA participants (about 550 people) and focus on patterns that come and go with the spraying cycles. Visits occur at set times so researchers can compare how you feel and perform before, during, and after spray periods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify spray-season exposure patterns that harm teen brain function or mood so public health steps can better protect young people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked organophosphate exposure to cognitive changes, but tracking short-term, cyclical changes in mood and performance around spray seasons is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suarez, Jose Ricardo — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Suarez, Jose Ricardo
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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.