Prenatal chemical exposures and childhood depression risk
Official title: Prenatal chemical exposures, childhood adversity, resilience and risk of depression
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11422350 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how exposure to flame retardant chemicals before birth and in early childhood may influence depression in mothers and their kids over the first eight years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $801,308 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES036226-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422350 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include pregnant individuals in the MADRES cohort and their children, plus families with available exposure data and longitudinal mental-health assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Families not enrolled in the MADRES cohort or without exposure data may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
If funded, researchers will study 500 mother-child pairs in Los Angeles to see whether prenatal exposure to PBDEs and OPEs is linked to changes in mothers’ depressive symptoms after birth and to depressive symptoms in children around ages 6–8. The study will also examine whether childhood adversity, resilience, and family factors modify these associations. Data will come from existing cohorts, with analyses focusing on chemical exposure measurements and mental-health trajectories over time. The goal is to identify high-risk patterns so families and clinicians can monitor and support those most affected.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform guidance to reduce exposure risks and improve mental-health monitoring for mothers and children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show links between prenatal exposures and neurodevelopmental outcomes, but this project uniquely analyzes PBDE/OPE mixtures and depressive trajectories over time.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bastain, Theresa M — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Bastain, Theresa M
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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.