Pregnancy autoantibodies and children's brain development
Maternal Autoantibody Reactivity, Gestational Inflammation, and Child Neurodevelopment (MARGIN)
This project looks at whether antibodies and inflammation in pregnant people's blood are linked to their children's early development, including autism and developmental delays.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11312744 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use pregnancy blood samples from the Kaiser Permanente Research Biobank to measure maternal autoantibodies to fetal brain proteins, inflammation and metabolic markers, and maternal genetics. They will link these gestational biomarkers to child neurodevelopment outcomes by comparing groups of children diagnosed with autism, children with other developmental delays, and children from the general population. The project follows children born to these pregnancies to examine early-life development and related medical or psychiatric conditions. Findings will build on prior work about maternal immune factors and could help clarify biological pathways that happen during pregnancy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are pregnant people or mothers whose pregnancy blood samples are in the Kaiser Permanente Research Biobank, or pregnant people willing to provide blood samples and follow-up information about their child's development.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, who do not have pregnancy blood samples available, or whose child's condition is unrelated to maternal immune factors are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify pregnancy biomarkers that signal higher risk for autism or developmental delays so families and clinicians can monitor and intervene earlier.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and smaller human studies have suggested maternal autoantibodies and inflammation can affect brain development, but large prospective human cohort evidence is still limited.
Where this research is happening
Oakland, UNITED STATES
- Kaiser Foundation Research Institute — Oakland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Croen, Lisa a — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Croen, Lisa a
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 below.