Intergenerational factors shaping neurodevelopmental disorders
Official title: Intergenerational programming of neurodevelopmental disorders
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11317592 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH-backed study will look across generations to understand how a grandparent’s pregnancy and a parent’s early life may influence a child’s risk of ADHD, autism, and other neurodevelopmental issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $450,760 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD118688-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317592 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with or at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders and their families may indirectly benefit through improved prevention insights and public health guidance.
✕Less likely to help
People without any connection to neurodevelopmental conditions or their families may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project will use Sweden’s nationwide data to build a multigenerational cohort of over 1.4 million families to study how grandmaternal pregnancy factors (like BMI and smoking) and parental perinatal characteristics relate to grandchildren’s neurodevelopmental outcomes. It will apply causal analysis methods to separate true effects from shared genetics and environment. The goal is to identify which intergenerational factors may contribute to conditions such as ADHD, autism, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy, with an emphasis on understanding modifiable risks. The work could inform prevention strategies and future research aimed at reducing disease burden across generations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Identifying modifiable intergenerational risk factors could lead to better prevention and early intervention strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous human data on multigenerational effects are limited, making this large-scale human cohort approach particularly novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Villamor, Eduardo — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Villamor, Eduardo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Intergenerational factors in neurodevelopmental disorders
This project looks at how experiences before and during pregnancy across generations may influence the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD, autism, and related disorders in grandchildren.
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Understanding brain signals in autism to identify biologically distinct subtypes
This study uses EEG to link how the brain processes sensory information with behavior in young children with autism and related concerns.
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Clinical Translational Research Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
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Synaptic nanostructure in neurodevelopmental disorders
This project aims to map the tiny architecture of brain synapses in native cells to understand how connections form and change in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Maternal acetaminophen use in pregnancy and ADHD risk in children
A large study will follow thousands of mother-child pairs to see if taking acetaminophen during pregnancy relates to ADHD in kids.
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GDF11’s role in brain development and autism-related disorders
A new NIH grant tests whether adjusting a growth factor called GDF11 can improve brain function and behaviors in models related to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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.