Understanding how early life experiences affect child brain development

17/24 Healthy Brain and Child Development National Consortium

NIH-funded research University of Minnesota · NIH-10878950

This study is looking at how things like exposure to harmful substances and stress can affect how children grow and develop from birth to age 10, and it’s for mothers and their babies across the U.S. who want to help understand and improve child development.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Minnesota NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Minneapolis, United States)
Project IDNIH-10878950 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the impact of various environmental hazards on child development from birth to age 10. It focuses on understanding how factors such as maternal substance exposure, toxicants, and stress can alter developmental pathways. By enrolling 7,500 mothers and infants across 24 sites in the U.S., the study will utilize advanced neuroimaging techniques and a range of behavioral assessments to create a comprehensive dataset. This data will help establish normative developmental trajectories and inform future interventions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation include mothers and their infants, particularly those who may have been exposed to environmental hazards during pregnancy or early life.

Not a fit: Patients who are older than 10 years or those without any exposure to the identified environmental hazards may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for promoting healthy brain development in children.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in understanding neurodevelopmental impacts through similar methodologies, indicating a strong potential for this approach.

Where this research is happening

Minneapolis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.