Understanding how early life experiences affect child brain development

14/24 The Healthy Brain & Child Development National Consortium

NIH-funded research University of California, San Diego · NIH-10891591

This study is looking at how different environmental factors, like a mother's health and stress, affect how children grow and develop in their first 10 years, and it's for families who want to understand what helps kids thrive.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Diego NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-10891591 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the impact of various environmental hazards on child development, focusing on the first 10 years of life. It aims to establish a normative template of developmental trajectories by studying a diverse sample of 7,500 mothers and infants across 24 sites in the United States. The study utilizes advanced neuroimaging techniques, along with behavioral and physiological assessments, to gather comprehensive data on how factors like maternal health, substance exposure, and stress influence brain development. By analyzing this data, the research seeks to identify critical periods and factors that can lead to better developmental outcomes for children.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation include pregnant women and mothers with infants up to 10 years old, particularly those exposed to various environmental hazards.

Not a fit: Patients who are not pregnant or do not have children under the age of 10 may not receive direct benefits from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and interventions for enhancing child brain development and mitigating adverse effects from early life experiences.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in understanding child development through similar approaches, indicating the potential for significant findings in this study.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, 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.