How sex hormones affect brain development during puberty
Official title: Endocrine-mediated pubertal brain network development: Bridging datasets with machine learning
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11004972 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how hormones like estradiol and testosterone affect brain development during puberty, and it's for young people who want to understand how these changes might shape their brains as they grow up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $124,169 |
| NIH project number | 5K99MH135075-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11004972 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12 to 20 who are undergoing puberty and may be experiencing psychological or developmental challenges.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the age range of 12 to 20 or those not undergoing puberty may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of sex hormones on brain development during puberty by utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques and machine learning. It aims to understand how hormones like estradiol and testosterone influence brain structure and function, particularly focusing on changes in brain architecture. By analyzing data from youth at different stages of puberty, the study seeks to uncover the relationship between hormone levels and brain development, addressing gaps in current knowledge. The approach combines insights from animal studies with innovative human neuroimaging methods to provide a comprehensive view of these biological processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding of adolescent brain development and inform interventions for psychological conditions during this critical period.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding hormonal influences on brain development, but this specific approach integrating machine learning and neuroimaging is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bottenhorn, Katherine Louise — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Bottenhorn, Katherine Louise
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
RNA dysregulation in a rare childhood brain disorder (PCH1b)
Researchers are studying a rare genetic brain disease in young children to understand how RNA processing goes wrong and leads to damage in the cerebellum and brainstem.
-
Studying how diverse signals come from similar molecules at glutamatergic synapses
A project at a university explores how synapses in the brain create different signals from a shared set of molecules, using a fruit-fly model to understand how this could relate to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
-
How brain chemicals may influence tau clumps in Alzheimer’s disease
A study from USC explores how certain brain chemicals might influence the clumping of tau protein related to Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to identify factors that could affect disease progression.
-
GLP-1 medicines and brain health: real-world clues about dementia risk
A nationwide study will follow adults 21 and older using GLP-1 medicines to see how these drugs relate to memory, thinking, and dementia risk in real life.
-
Male pesticide exposure and reproductive health through epigenetics
This project looks at how a man’s exposure to pesticides might affect his fertility and the health of his future children through changes in DNA.
-
Global effort to harmonize fMRI findings in psychiatry
A large, international effort will standardize how brain MRI data are collected and analyzed in people with various mental health conditions to improve consistency and discovery.
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.