Understanding Speech and Brain Development in Infants with Cleft Lip or Palate
Speech Development and Brain Structure/Function in Infants with Isolated Oral Clefts: Relationship Anesthesia Exposure and Oxygenation
This project aims to understand why children with cleft lip or palate sometimes have difficulties with language and reading by looking at their brain development and early life experiences like anesthesia and oxygen levels.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124828 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many children born with a cleft lip or palate experience challenges with language and reading as they grow up. This project explores whether early life events, such as exposure to anesthesia during surgery or changes in oxygen levels, might affect how their brains develop and contribute to these difficulties. We plan to carefully observe infants with clefts, both before and after their first surgery, by looking at their brain development, early speech sounds, and oxygen levels. By comparing these findings with infants who do not have clefts, we hope to uncover the root causes of these language challenges.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Infants with isolated cleft lip and/or palate and healthy control infants are the focus of this research.
Not a fit: Patients who are older than infancy or do not have isolated cleft lip and/or palate may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to improve language and reading outcomes for children with cleft lip or palate.
How similar studies have performed: While previous studies have identified a link between clefts and language difficulties, this project takes a novel approach by examining brain development and early life factors in infants before and after their first surgery.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conrad, Amy Lynn — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Conrad, Amy Lynn
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.