Speech, brain development, and anesthesia in infants with cleft lip/palate
Official title: Speech Development and Brain Structure/Function in Infants with Isolated Oral Clefts: Relationship Anesthesia Exposure and Oxygenation
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11365841 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study follows infants with isolated cleft lip/palate to understand how early brain development and language skills relate to anesthesia exposure and oxygenation during early life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $503,749 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE033657-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365841 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants with isolated cleft lip/palate and a control group of infants without iCL/P.
✕Less likely to help
Infants who do not participate or who have different medical conditions may not benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will compare infants with iCL/P to unaffected controls, using brain imaging and assessments around the time of their first surgery and in early development. They will collect information on anesthesia exposure, oxygenation, and pre-speech functioning to see how these factors relate to later language and reading skills. The goal is to identify early brain and language changes that could inform better timing and procedures to support development. Parents will be guided on study procedures and follow-up assessments will be coordinated with clinical care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could help tailor anesthesia and airway management in infancy to reduce later language and reading difficulties.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked early brain development and reading outcomes to iCL/P, but this study aims to clarify causal factors like anesthesia and oxygenation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conrad, Amy Lynn — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Conrad, Amy Lynn
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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.