Metal mixtures in early life impacting teen risk-taking
Official title: Longitudinal study of metal mixtures and the developmental origins of adolescent risk-taking
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11554572 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study follows people from pregnancy through adolescence to see how metal exposures in early life relate to how teens take risks.
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 start | September 30, 2018 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $155,074 |
| NIH project number | 3R01ES028927-08S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11554572 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with prenatal to early-life exposure data and ongoing participation in the PROGRESS cohort, now in adolescence/young adulthood.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not connected to the PROGRESS cohort or without adolescent risk-behavior data may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This research follows the PROGRESS cohort to track metal exposure, brain development, and behavior from pregnancy through adolescence. By using tooth biomarkers and MRI plus neuropsychological tests, the study looks at how early metal mixtures may shape risk-taking pathways. The goal is to understand why some youths engage in risky behaviors and how biology and environment come together over time. If successful, findings could inform prevention strategies for adolescent health and safety.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better prevention and timing of interventions to reduce risky behaviors in adolescence.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work linked early metal exposure to later behavioral and neural changes, supporting the plausibility of this trajectory study.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horton, Megan K — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Horton, Megan K
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.