Understanding how air pollution before birth might lead to childhood social anxiety
Official title: Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollution and Childhood Social Anxiety Symptoms: Novel pathogenic pathways
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11293802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how exposure to air pollution during pregnancy might contribute to social anxiety in children, especially those facing economic challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 6, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $568,894 |
| NIH project number | 7R01ES035792-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on understanding the origins of social anxiety in children who were exposed to air pollution before birth.
✕Less likely to help
Patients currently seeking direct treatment for social anxiety may not receive immediate benefit from this foundational research.
What this research studies
Childhood social anxiety can be a very difficult condition, sometimes leading to children avoiding school and social situations. While we don't usually think of air pollution as a cause for mental health issues, past observations suggest a connection between air pollution exposure before birth and a higher chance of anxiety. This work aims to uncover the specific steps, or 'pathways,' through which prenatal air pollution might increase the risk for social anxiety in children who are already vulnerable. We are looking at how certain air pollutants might affect brain development and behavior, potentially leading to anxiety symptoms later in childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us understand how to protect children from developing social anxiety by reducing exposure to harmful air pollutants during pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked prenatal air pollution exposure to increased anxiety risk and behavioral changes in both humans and animal models, but this project proposes a novel pathway to explain these connections.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Margolis, Amy — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Margolis, Amy
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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.