Understanding Social Skills and Emotional Health in Teenagers Born Very Early
Trajectories of Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity, Social Competence, and Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescents Born Very Preterm
This work looks at how brain connections develop in adolescents born very preterm to understand their social skills and emotional well-being over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11081683 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Children born very early (before 32 weeks) often face challenges with social skills and emotional health, which can continue into their teenage years. This project aims to understand how these challenges develop and persist, focusing on the brain's cerebellum and its connections. We want to see how brain development and other factors like life experiences and thinking skills might influence social difficulties and emotional problems in these adolescents. By tracking these changes, we hope to learn more about why some teenagers born very early struggle with social interactions and internalizing symptoms like anxiety or depression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of research would be adolescents who were born very preterm and are experiencing social competence impairments or internalizing symptoms.
Not a fit: Patients who were not born very preterm or are not in the adolescent age range may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to identify and support adolescents born very preterm who are at risk for social and emotional difficulties.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific long-term trajectories of cortico-cerebellar connectivity in this population are novel, previous studies have highlighted the increased risk for social and emotional challenges in children born very preterm.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rogers, Cynthia Elise — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Rogers, Cynthia Elise
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.