Multimodal Imaging of How Prenatal Alcohol Affects Baby Brain Blood Vessels
Official title: Multimodal Optical Imaging on the Effect of Maternal Polysubstance Exposure on Fetal Brain Microvessel Function
Funded at University of Houston · NIH-11372930 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how alcohol exposure before birth may change the tiny blood vessels in a baby’s developing brain and how that could affect brain growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2016 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $644,527 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD086765-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372930 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals at risk of or exposed to alcohol or nicotine, or existing fetal/neonatal populations where brain vessel development is of interest, may be eligible depending on study design.
✕Less likely to help
Not all participants will directly benefit; some may contribute data without a direct clinical benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced imaging to study how prenatal alcohol exposure alters blood flow and the formation of brain vessels in the fetal brain. The study builds on prior findings that alcohol exposure can reduce blood flow and may increase unusual capillary openings, potentially affecting brain development. The approach combines high-resolution imaging methods to observe vascular changes in a relevant model, aiming to connect these changes with later neurodevelopmental outcomes. Participation would involve imaging data and potential samples from human-related contexts, with a focus on understanding mechanisms that could inform prevention or interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify how prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts brain blood vessels and guide strategies to prevent or mitigate neurodevelopmental problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown alcohol exposure affects brain blood flow in models, and this project seeks to extend those findings with high-resolution vascular imaging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Larin, Kirill V — University of Houston
- Study coordinator: Larin, Kirill V
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.