Tracking brain and thinking changes during childhood leukemia treatment
Identifying markers of abnormal neurocognitive trajectories during chemotherapy treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
This project follows young children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia to find early signs of changing brain development and thinking skills during chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11168983 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have regular, age‑appropriate thinking and behavior tests and non‑sedated brain scans while your child is receiving chemotherapy to look for early changes. The team compares results over time to pinpoint when and how treatment affects brain growth and cognitive skills. Findings will be used to identify markers that signal risk for later learning or attention problems and to inform when to offer support. The work builds on a small pilot where children completed testing and imaging at two time points about six months apart.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who are currently receiving chemotherapy, especially those diagnosed before school age, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Adults, people without ALL, or long‑term survivors not being followed during active treatment are unlikely to be eligible or directly helped by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect thinking and learning problems earlier and guide interventions to reduce long‑term cognitive effects of treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Long‑term survivor studies have documented cognitive problems after ALL and a small pilot during treatment suggests this longitudinal testing and imaging approach can reveal early changes, but the approach is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Little Rock, United States
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst — Little Rock, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Der Plas, Ellen — Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Van Der Plas, Ellen
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.